206 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



many eggs that they cannot possibly cover them 

 all except two deep, and yet those in the bottom 

 layer receive a sufficient amount of heat to incu- 

 bate them. I have seen Coal Tif's' eggs disposed in 

 this way, and the bottom row had each worked 

 themselves such deep indentations in the materials 

 with which the nest was composed as to be half 

 buried. I have also seen a Moor hen's nest with 

 nine eggs in it, some of which were piled upon the 

 others. Of course, it may be said that a sitting 

 bird turns her eggs over daily, but even then one 

 would think that the variable amount of heat 

 generated around them must be detrimental to the 

 embryo chick. In the case of the Coal Tit just 

 mentioned, I very much question whether they were 

 turned over at all, because such an action would 

 have prevented the great amount of embedment of 

 the eggs in the materials of which the bottom of the 

 nest was formed. 



Members of the Plover family greatly dislike 

 their eggs to lie any way except with their points 

 to the centre of the nest, and, when a boy, I used 

 to alter the disposition of the eggs of Peewits and 

 Golden Plovers in order to see how quickly they 

 would set them to rights again. 



According to my experience, birds are not 

 nearly so particular about their nests and eggs as 

 is popularly supposed. I recollect once examining 

 a Dipper's nest, situated in a horizontal cleft of 

 rock, and containing four eggs, which were centred 

 round a sharp piece of stone projecting right 

 through its bottom. I have also seen a Chaffinch's 

 nest with a piece of blackthorn showing through it, 

 although it was quite finished and contained eggs. 



Starlings frequently drop their eggs about in the 

 fields. Pheasants, Partridges, Grouse, Eider Ducks, 



