25 [Vol, xxxvL 



shape, weight, and even the colour of the inner lining o£ 

 eggs are all characters of importance, though varying in 

 degree in different families or orders. 



Oology, as an aid to classification, is still in its infancy — 

 indeed, it is still altogether ignored by some of our cleverest 

 ornithologists ; but many years ago I was convinced of its 

 utility, and in 1895 I wrote an article (a very crude one) on. 

 the subject in ' The Asian, ^ which was afterwards rewritten 

 for the ' Ibis/ Another twenty years' experience has con-^ 

 firmed me in my opinions whilst warning me that no 

 deductions drawn with its aid can be universally applied. 



To-night we have had many of the pros and cons very 

 ably laid before us, but I fancy that the net result of our 

 discussion is that we stand much as we did before, with a 

 verdict of "not proven." The mass of evidence I have 

 collected, both in favour of and against my own opinions on 

 the subject, are enough to convince me that it is impossible 

 in a discussion of this nature to touch even the outermost 

 edge of the argument which could be brought forward by 

 either side. 



I do not, therefore, propose to place before you any 

 arguments in speech one way or the other ; but I should like 

 you to see a few typical exhibits which may serve to demon- 

 strate how, in many cases, the assistance to classification 

 given by eggs is self-evident, whilst in others the very 

 contrary is the case. 



There are, of course, a very large number of eggs of which 

 one can at once say, this is laid by such or such a genus or 

 family. Thus, one cannot fail to identify the eggs of an 

 Ant Thrush (Pittidse), of a Trogon (Harpactes), or of an 

 Oriole (Oriolidae), and if other types of eggs are found and 

 the bird which lays it is declared to be one of these genera, 

 we at once feel there is a mistake somewhere and have a 

 hunt round for it. Again, there are certain genera and 

 families whose eggs cannot be separated from many others^ 

 such as the blue eggs of the Hedge-Sparrows, yet if we find 

 a pink or a brown egg we at once know that the layer 

 thereof is not an Accentorj however much she may look 

 like it. 



