The Making of Species 



when lying in the shadow of the nest and sur- 

 rounded by the many colours and tints of bark 

 and moss, of purple buds and tender green or 

 yellow foliage, with all the complex glittering 

 lights and mottled shades produced among these 

 by the spring sunshine and sparkling rain-drops, 

 they must have quite a different aspect from that 

 which they possess when we observe them torn 

 from their natural surroundings." 



The obvious comment on this is that it is very 

 fine and poetic English, but it is not science. It 

 is futile to deny what should be obvious to every 

 field naturalist, namely, that the majority of eggs 

 laid in open nests are most conspicuous. 



D. Dewar thus summarises the main facts 

 which show that eggs in nests (as opposed to 

 those laid on the bare ground) are not pro- 

 tectively coloured : 



11 i. Allied species of birds, even though their 

 nesting habits are very different, as a rule lay 

 similarly coloured eggs. 



" 2. Eggs laid in domed nests certainly do not 

 need protective colouring, yet many of these are 

 coloured. 



" 3. The same is true of many eggs laid in 

 holes in trees or in buildings. 



" 4. The protective resemblances of eggs which 

 are laid in the open are apparent to everyone, 

 which certainly is not true of those deposited in 



nests. 



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