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conclusion can be drawn as to their origin, so remarkably similar are the 

 eggs, than that they are the product of the same bird. In most cases the 

 groups of eggs, arranged on the basis of locality and near dates, show- 

 distinctly more agreement as regards size and colour than do the foster eggs 

 within the individual clutches. The following are illustrations : — 



I. — Two eggs taken at Budworth Mere, Cheshire. 



These eggs are of a bluish-grey colour, with dull brownish blotching ; 

 there are abundant fine dots and also numerous larger specks of varying 

 shape and size. The eggs are not noticeably darker in colour at the broad 

 end. The two eggs cannot be distinguished. There is one foster type only. 



II. — Four eggs taken at Budworth, Cheshire. 



These are pale grey eggs with finely grained brown markings. There are 

 numerous sharply defined dark brown spots. The resemblance is most 

 marked in all four eggs. There are two types of foster in this case. Taken 

 in conjunction with the foregoing set two Cuckoos are indicated in this area. 



III. — Set of two eggs, presumably of the same bird, taken near Lancaster. 



This is a greyish egg with a good deal of brownish pigment in fairly 

 large irregular patches well distributed evenly over the whole egg, but more 

 deeply at the broad end. There is a brownish speckling over the whole end 

 area in both eggs — not in the form of a ring. On both eggs there are a very 

 few quite dark brown well-defined marks. The egg in the Yellow Bunting's 

 nest resembles well the eggs of the foster, but is a little darker. That in the 

 nest of the Hedge Sparrow is, of course, conspicuous. There are two foster 

 species. 



