836 BRITISH BIRDS 



in regard to colour, shape, formation of the markings, texture 

 of shell, etc. ; the stronger the hght the better ; I prefer sun- 

 hght, but of course not direct sun-light. As each point is 

 determined, it should at once be carefully noted down, thus : 

 ground colour, colour of markings, position and arrangement 

 of markings, shape, and, finally, the texture of the shell. 



In the following descriptions it should be remarked that I 

 have referred to " Eggs of the Birds of Europe," by H. E. 

 Dresser, Parts VII. and VIII., plate 4, and also to " Eggs of 

 British Birds," by Henry Seebohm, plate 58.* Mr. Dresser 

 figures six types, Mr. Seebohm four only, and, curiously, the 

 one type not figured by Mr. Dresser. To have done full justice 

 to this article I should have preferred to have had plates 

 specially drawn, however, I trust that I have made myself 

 as clear as possible in referring to those mentioned. Some 

 interesting points have been brought to light in connection 

 with the description of these various types. Most noticeable 

 among them is the shght variation in the thickness and 

 texture of the shell. A fact which I think is pretty generally 

 known is that some types occur much less frequently than 

 others, as is also the case with the eggs of the Red-backed 

 Shrike and others. Locahty, or chmatic conditions have 

 apparently nothing whatever to do with these variations. I 

 have received the whole seven distinct types, from as many 

 different localities ; continental eggs exhibited precisely the 

 same types. 



Mottled Type (No. 1) — Brick-red, very distinct. 



Ground colour. — White. The markings are so close as 

 almost to obhterate the ground colour, though there is generally 

 one or more eggs in a clutch in which the ground colour is 

 fairly conspicuous. 



Markings, ?iormaZ.— Rich brick-red to light red (Dresser, 

 pi. 4, No. 15), mottUngs very close. Extreme type — Mottlings 

 obliterate ground colour. Modified type — Markings well 

 defined, ground colour conspicuous, shell markings more or 

 less absent (Dresser, pi. 4, No. 13). A rare variety of this 

 t5rpe occurs in which the markings are bold and well defined 

 (Dresser, pi. 4, No. 22) which is intermediate between the 

 red mottled type (No. 1) and the red spotted, or blotched, 

 type (No. 4). This variety has also a sHght suspicion of sheU 

 markings of purpHsh grey. Fine hair-] ike scrollings at the 

 broad end occur in this type. 



* These works will throughout the rest of this paper be quoted 

 simply as " Dresser, pi. 4, No. — ," and " Seebohm, pi. 58." 



