20 PRESER VING BIRDS' EGGS. 



tory and economy of birds ; and is one of these latter 

 class I offer these remarks. 



With regard to their "structure," being composed, 

 as they are well known to be, of minute particles of 

 carbonate of lime, united and strengthened by the 

 addition of a small quantity of animal matter, it is no 

 wonder that when blown they are so fragile, when we 

 consider their thinness. 



My first "collection" of sixty species (by the box 

 containing it falling from the height of an ordinary 

 table) became " smashed," with the solitary exception 

 of one hedge-accentor's, over which I consoled myself 

 as the "nucleus" of a future collection. Of this 

 " special" egg more anon. 



The "form" of eggs is somewhat varied; round, 

 roundish-oval, elongate, larger at one end, equal at 

 both ends, more or less pointed (sometimes at both 

 ends), and pear-shaped ; and all or any of these charac- 

 ters may apply to eggs of birds of the same species or 

 class (with some exceptions), without including any 

 " lusus natura)" or unnatural form, such as bottle- 

 shaped, spindle-shaped, narrowed in the middle, &c. &c. 



Their "size" is variable also, but except in the case 

 of unimpregnated eggs, not very much so ; however, 

 in almost every nest one egg occurs smaller than the 

 rest, and separate birds of the same species lay eggs oi 

 very different sizes ; as, for example, the chats, tits, and 

 sparrows. This may depend greatly upon differences 

 of food and locality, also upon the size of the birds 

 themselves. 



As to " colour," nothing is more variable; bluish, 

 yellowish, brown, red, pink, and purple of various 

 shades, as in the tree-pipit ; blue, green, and brown, 

 more or less deep, as in the gulls ; red, yellow, white, 

 brown, and green, dull in tint, as in the common tern ; 

 white,red,orspotted,asin the robin; speckled, spotted, 



