354 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



" These things are not of to-day nor yesterday, but evermore, and no 

 man knoweth whence they came." 



I will not quote the noblest words of all that come into my mind ; 

 but only the lesser language of another of the greatest of the 

 Greeks : — " The ways of His thoughts are as paths in a wood thick 

 with leaves, and one seeth through them but a little way." 



A CASE OF A REMARKABLE EGG OF FALCO 

 TINNUNCULUS LAID UNDER REMARKABLE 

 CIRCUMSTANCES. 



By C. J. Patten, M.A., M.D., Sc.D. . 



On Sunday, June 11 last, my tame Kestr'el, which 'I have had for 

 eight years, appeared to be in remarkably lively mood. When let 

 out of her wire enclosure she indulged in her usual trick of pouncing 

 on my shoe and biting at the leather repeatedly. When I shook her 

 off she followed me across the yard, and on presenting my gloved 

 hand she dashed at it, at the same time dropping her wings like a 

 curtain, as though she were shielding her favourite mouse. Many 

 other tricks which I have frequently found her indulging in were par- 

 ticularly well performed that morning. I was therefore exceedingly 

 pleased that after my absence from home for the greater part of the 

 preceding week I returned to find her so well and lively. However, 

 in the afternoon a remarkable change came over her. She retired 

 to a corner, and, assuming an almost horizontal position, so that 

 her head, back, and tail were almost parallel with the ground, she 

 became so apathetic that I suspected poisoning from some of the 

 food (a young rat caught in a trap) she had lately partaken of. 

 Unable to rouse her, I carried her into my study, where she again 

 crept into a corner and behaved similarly. She remained in this con- 

 dition until 6.30 p.m., at which time I left her alone. On my return at 

 10.30 p.m. she still appeared to be in the same condition. I tried to 

 rouse her by pretending to attack her with my hand and by splashing 

 her with cold water, but it was of no avail. I then left her in the 

 corner while I wrote letters. She now began to utter a few faint 

 squeaks at intervals. At 11.45 p.m. she gave a rather painful cry, 

 and on going over to see what was the matter I found she had laid 

 an egg. Almost immediately she began to get lively, and so I had to 

 exercise care lest she might break the egg. Fortunately I succeeded 

 in getting possession of the latter safely. Remarkable as this case 

 of ovulation may be, the egg itself is none the less remarkable. 

 Although the usual brownish-red egg (so profusely pigmented that no 

 trace of white is visible) may sometimes be represented by one richly 

 mottled on a yellowish- white or pinkish ground-colour, I may say I have 

 never before seen a Kestrel's egg such as the one my bird laid. This egg 



