52 THE GUILLEMOT'S EGG 



other beautiful, natural objects are purely 

 aesthetic expressions of the Spirit which 

 underlies everything. 



Though birds' eggs can generally be identi- 

 fied by characteristic markings peculiar to the 

 species, they vary considerably, both as regards 

 the species and also the eggs laid by a single 

 individual. Guillemots' eggs are perhaps the 

 most variable. 



For the information of those who may be 

 unacquainted with the habits of this marine 

 species, I may mention that Guillemots (Uria 

 troile) nest together in large companies on the 

 rocks in more or less inaccessible places, the 

 eggs being laid on the bare ledges of the rocks. 

 Each bird lays a single egg, but, in several 

 respects, a remarkable one. To begin with, 

 the egg is enormous for the size of the bird ; its 

 shape, too, is peculiar. The small end, it will 

 be noticed, tapers out to a point ; no two eggs 

 are exactly alike ; the spots and blotches, as 

 a rule, are very numerous, though occasionally 

 an egg has few spots, and sometimes it is quite 

 plain. 



The reason for the shape of the guillemot's 

 egg is obvious. By placing this egg on a 

 smooth table and blowing upon it, it will be 

 seen that instead of shifting from its position, 

 the egg merely twists round on its axis ; thus. 



