106 



HABITS OF BIRDS. 



laid for several years, each egg differing 1 from the rest 

 in size as well as in composition and colour. The 

 largest of them, which are destined to be first laid, 

 are yellowish, while the rest gradually decrease in size, 

 and are less and less yellow*. It has been attempted 

 to establish an analogy between this detachment of 

 the egg and the dropping of ripe fruit from a tree; 

 but though we cannot deny the resemblance of the 



Bourdon, Physiologic Comparee, i. 101. 



