xiv CONTENTS 



PAGE 



the Ant Thrushes Of the Lyre Birds Nest of 

 the Hammer- Head Nests of the Mound Birds 

 Of the Brush Turkeys Of certain Coursers Of 

 the Rails, Ducks, and Geese Of the Flamingoes 

 The utility of nests The nest in relation to the 

 colour of the plumage Instinct or imitation in 

 nest-building 243-276 



CHAPTER VIII 



THEIR REPRODUCTION (EGGS) 



Eggs The development of the shell The deposition 

 of the colour pigments The shape of the mark- 

 ings How formed The two types of markings 

 Their distribution General resemblances amongst 

 eggs of the same species Exceptions Composi- 

 tion of the colour pigments The incubation of 

 the egg Incubation periods in the various avine 

 orders The incubating sex The texture or grain 

 of the egg-shell The colour of the interior of the 

 shell The form of eggs The size of eggs The 

 number of eggs produced by species in the various 

 groups The colours of eggs Generic types of 

 eggs Variation in the colour of eggs in the same 

 species Of the Guillemot Of the Cuckoo 

 Uniformity of colour in other groups The colours 

 of eggs hereditary Eggs of hybrids The ances- 

 tral colour of eggs The utility of colour White 

 eggs in covered nests In open nests Spotted 

 eggs in open nests In covered nests The pro- 

 tective colouration of newly hatched birds . 277-304 



