BIRDS' NESTS. 25 



am aware, been attempted. Indeed, a natural 

 arrangement, that is, such an arrangement as 

 would bring together the eggs of birds belong- 

 ing to the same tribe and family, is impossible ; 

 because it frequently happens that birds allied 

 in structure and habits, lay very different 

 eggs for example, the swallow and house- 

 martin ; and again, very dissimilar birds lay 

 eggs which are much alike, as the owl and the 

 wood-pigeon. An artificial arrangement, which 

 might bring together eggs either of the same 

 size, the same shape, or the same colour, 

 would be considered unphilosophical, because 

 it would also associate dissimilar birds. At 

 the risk, however, of incurring the censure of 

 scientific men, (if any such should condescend 

 to read what I have written,) I intend to 

 describe, in separate chapters, those eggs 

 which are most alike, classifying them accord- 

 ing to their colour and markings. In doing 

 this, I feel assured that although naturalists 

 may not altogether approve of my system, 



