xxvi INTRODUCTION. 



such birds as the Herons, the Cormorants, Pelicans, and Storks, all of 

 which lay conspicuous eggs in an open nest. It is quite evident in these 

 cases that the birds by their own prowess alone shield their eggs from 

 danger; besides, most of these birds are gregarious, and are well able to 

 beat off any enemy that is likely to approach, if not singly, by uniting for 

 the purpose, so that it is of no special advantage for them to conceal their 

 eggs. We must also remember that these birds may have descended 

 from a hole-building ancestor most probably from an ancestor that laid 

 colourless eggs. The coloration of eggs is characteristic in many groups 

 of birds; and in these instances the eggs of the various species conform 

 to those colours peculiar to their special group, although they depend 

 upon other sources for the requisite amount of protection than those which 

 a remote ancestor practised. We now come to our second great division, 

 in which the eggs are beautifully adorned with various hues ; and, as our 

 first group, we will take 



Spotted eggs laid in open nests. As our first instances we notice 

 two birds nesting on sandy shores, the Lesser Tern and the Ringed Plover. 

 Both these birds lay eggs more or less sand-coloured, which circumstance 

 effectually conceals them from view. A still more detailed account of the 

 nesting of these two birds will serve to show even more closely the import- 

 ance of this fact. The Ringed Plover's eggs are far more minutely speckled 

 than those of the Lesser Tern, and as a consequence we find them laid on 

 the finest sand ; but the Lesser Tern's are more richly and elaborately 

 marked, and they are only found amongst the coarser shingle, where their 

 larger markings harmonize with surrounding tints most effectually. Take 

 another instance. The Common Sandpiper's eggs assimilate so closely with 

 the tints around them as to make their discovery a matter of no small 

 difficulty, as every oologist can testify who has searched for them. The 

 Peewit's eggs, dark in ground-colour and boldly marked, are in strict 

 harmony with the sober tints of moor and fallow, and on this circumstance 

 alone their concealment and safety depend. Another instance may be 

 found in the eggs of the Dotterel, far up the hillsides, amongst the inces- 

 sant mists, where their rich brown markings and stone-coloured ground- 

 tints harmonize closely with the colours of their mountain resting-place. 

 The Diver's eggs furnish another example of protective colour ; they are 

 generally laid close to the water's edge, amongst drift and shingle, where 

 their dark tints and black spots conceal them by harmonizing closely 

 with surrounding objects. The Snipes and the great army of Sandpipers 

 furnish instances innumerable of protectively coloured eggs. In all the 

 instances given the sitting bird invariably leaves the eggs uncovered when 

 it quits them, and consequently their safety depends solely on the colours 

 which adorn them. A passing word should here be given to the eggs of 

 the Gulls. Some of these species depend for the safety of their eggs upon 



