158 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



except by accident, would there be two, five, or six. 

 It is plain a law exists, and exists by Divine ordi- 

 nance, that the robin and the wren, equally with the 

 monarchs of the winged world, are to produce a 

 certain fixed and scarcely variable number of eggs. 

 Yet, while this rule is constant in its applica- 

 tion to birds in their natural condition, and when 

 not interfered with by accident or other circum- 

 stances, it is subject to some highly remarkable 

 exceptions. Colonel Montagu says, "birds will 

 only lay the number allotted by nature, and no 

 more for a time. If, however, it is unable to incu- 

 bate, the bird will begin to lay again, and will de- 

 posit the usual number, or less the latter most 

 frequently and again cease." There thus ap- 

 pears to be a sort of confirmation of the rule, even 

 in its very exceptions ; for, when more eggs than 

 the number allotted are deposited, it is supposed 

 that a second or a third course of laying has com- 

 menced. Colonel Montagu disbelieved the asser- 

 tion, that a bird would go on laying one egg after 

 another without an interval of a few days, when 

 the eggs were designedly removed. At the ex- 

 piration of this interval he believed a new course 

 * Ornithological Dictionary. 



