THE SEMI-ANNUAL. 



23 



EGGS IN SET. 

 Largest. Smallest. Av. 

 Berwjn, Pa. 524 



Perrineville, N. J. 4 



Pittsburgh, Pa. 5 3 4 



Wauwatosa, Wis. 634 

 Gnnnell, Iowa. 524 



■ MEASUREMENTS. 



Largest Smallest. Average. 



I.IOX.83 I.06X.76 I.08X.79 



I.18X.81 



1.12X.84 i.o8x.So 1.1OX.82 



1.20X.84 1.07X.80 1.13X.82 



1.19X.90 1.07X.80 1.13X.82 



The variation in avei^age dimensions is very great — -. iox.2— 

 this time. Our professional fathers show^ a variation of but .3X.3, 

 which is pretty close. We ought to do better next time. 



COLORATION. 



Eggs of Robin are subject to but very slight variation in color. 

 They are usually plain greenish, blue, or light nile blue, some^ 

 times greenish-gi^ay ; not rarely spotted sparingly with warm^ 

 brown. Eggs vary from simple ovate to elongate-ovate. 



PERIOD OF INCUBATION. 



Robin lays each day unless hindered by storm and sets 14 days ; 

 in 12 to 14 days the young leave the nest. 



Of Robin we can say nothing new. He is everywhere and 

 known to everyone. His voice is the sweetest when it is the 

 first in Spring, to awaken slumbering nature. With it we 

 associate the silent voice of the starting sap, the melting snows 

 and the return of the gaities of the new, fresh Spring. His 

 voice is seldom heard after nesting begins. 



The Committee had in mind many questions to be answered 

 respecting nidification and oology, among which are the follow- 

 ing : 



1. Do eggs of the same species differ in any way in different 

 localities, or at different seasons or in different sorts of weather .'' 



2. Does the time occupied in laying or the period of incuba- 

 tion differ in different localities, or at different seasons.'' 



