inteuiled for our more iiniueiliato UHietit, a most woiuleHuI 

 ^nnvor of ovoproduction ; aud at iho same time curlailinj; in 

 iheir numbers those species which, in their greater inon\»st\ 

 would soon become injurious to us. Mi^t of the Kasores, 

 which, jis game, form so agreeable an addition to our table, as 

 well as tlie Duck tribe, lay numerous eggs. The Warblers 

 and the various s^HJcies of Titmice, which render us such 

 essentiid service, in the destruction of the numer^nis instHTts 

 which would otherwise beoiune a nuisiu\ce. art> unusually 

 prolific. 



In their relative sizes, the eggs of birds diflex in a remark- 

 able degree fnnu each other, as I have sliown, whew describing 

 those of the Guillemot; and this will bo seen by the compari- 

 son of a few species. The Cuiilleuiot and tljc U,\\ t>n uv them- 

 selves of about equal size ; tlieir eggs ditVer as ten to one. The 

 Snipe and the Blackbinl differ but slightly in weight ; their 

 eggs remiukably. The egg of tlio Curlew is six or eight times 

 as large as tliat of tlio Rook ; the birds are of about tlu> Siuue 

 size. The eggs of the Guillemot are as big tui Uiose of jui 

 Eagle ; whilst tliose of the Snipe equal tl»e eggs of tl»e Pju- 

 tridgo and tlie l*igeon. The reason of tliis grt>at disparity in 

 size is, however, obvious : Uje eggs of all those binls which 

 quit the nest soon after they are hatched, and which are con- 

 sequently more fully developed at their birth, aji> very large, 

 ftiul yet so admirably formed to occupy \\\c least possible 

 space, tliat the Snipe has no mort» dilliculty in covering its 

 eggs, tliough apparently so disproportionate, than the Tlirush 

 or the Blackbird. 



As I have elsewhere remarked, nnich useful and highly 



c 



