INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS 



TO THE 



ORIGINAL EDITION, 



CHAPTER I. 



The object with which this book is written is that it 

 may be interesting and useful to younor egg-collectors. 

 It is not easy to make a book, which is to be devoted 

 to such details as the length and breadth, and shades 

 and markings of some two or three hundred different 

 eggs, either interesting, or even barely readable. But 

 there is no necessity that a book of British Birds' Esfors 

 and Nests should be devoted to merelj^ such details as 

 those. For my own part, I do not find it easy alto- 

 gether to dissociate the eggs laid from the bird which 

 lays them ; and when I see a beautiful nest I can 

 bard] 3^ help being led to think something about the 

 builder, its means, objects, powers, instincts and in- 

 telligence. And I don't see why a book about eggs, 

 and nests should not follow the direction given by 

 those same objects to my thoughts, and the thoughts 



