54 CHANGING THE POSITION OF EGGS 

 which, of course, would invalidate this treatise. 

 For there cannot be two ways about it : either 

 the bird does reason, or it does not, and what 

 applies to one creature applies to all of them. 



It might be supposed that the matter could 

 be put to the test by changing the eggs ; but 

 though it might be possible to keep these in 

 view, it must be quite impossible to identify 

 the owners, who resemble one another abso- 

 lutely. However, if such could be done I 

 think it would be found that the birds 

 returned, each to the identical spot where its 

 egg had been ; in fact, where it had been laid ; 

 and, so long as the birds found eggs reposing 

 on these same spots, they would be content 

 to cover them, whether their own property 

 or not. 



It may seem ruthless to attempt to shatter 

 a romance at once so popular and attractive ; 

 but in the interests of science progress we must 

 not be led away by sentimentality. Much 

 harm is done to the cause of true knowledge 

 by accrediting the Animal World with human 

 attributes and sentiments which, without self- 

 consciousness, the creatures cannot possibly 

 possess. 



The eggs of plovers, woodcock, snipe and 

 some of the waders, though not elongated to 

 the same extent as those of guillemots, are 



