wager] 



THE NESTS OF SOME COMMON BIRDS 



.w 



until a mat is formed on which the eggs are deposited. As soon 

 as the grass begins to grow the nest becomes quite entirely hidden. 

 This too, is a praecocial bird, but the eggs, in actual size, are but 



Fig. 5. The Song Sparrow's Nest. Slightly Elevated. 

 Cowbird's Egg at the Right. 



little larger than those of the killdeer, though the bird itself is at 

 least twice its weight. Indeed, one is amazed that the killdeer 

 can lay so large an egg. Unlike those of the killdeer, the eggs are 

 noc at all protectively colored. They number eight to twelve and 

 hence make up in number what they may lack in size when com- 

 pared with the previously discussed form. The background is 



