1 6 British Birds y 



receiving attention, as supplying not only fresh sources 

 of seeming unlikeness in nests of the same species of 

 birds, but also fresh instances of the little feathered 

 architect's wonderful adaptive intelligence. 



The question, — Why are birds' eggs, in so many 

 cases, so variously and beautifully ornamented ? 

 Why are their hues and markings made so attractive 

 to look at ? has often been asked, and two or three 

 different answers or modes of answer have been sug- 

 gested. I have seen the idea started that the design 

 of such various colouring and marking is intended to 

 facilitate concealment, by the adaptation of the 

 general hue of the ^gg to that of the recipient or 

 supporting substances. The theory is at least original 

 and amusing ; but unfortunately less happy than 

 when applied to the plumage of the birds themselves 

 which lay the eggs. It is no easy thing to detect a 

 Partridge as she sits, lifeless-seeming, amid other 

 objects not more still than herself, and presenting no 

 great contrast in colour to her feathers : but there is 

 no difficulty in seeing her eggs as they lie in the nest, 

 And so well aware is she of the fact, that she always 

 covers her eggs with some convenient and suitable 

 material — last year's oak leaves, for example — when 

 leaving her nest deliberately, or not under the im- 

 pulses of alarm. The Hedge Sparrow's eggs again, or 

 any other blue ^gg, how can they be supposed to 

 become less conspicuous by their colour when reposiug 

 in some earth-brown or hay-coloured nest-cup ? 



If it had been said that the Golden Plover's eggs, 

 the Peewit's, the Snipe's, the Norfolk Plover's — not to 

 name many others of which the same might be alleged 



