EGGS. 



141 



pigments are of a similar nature to the 

 colouring matter of the blood and bile, 

 and are richer in the case of birds in 

 their prime and in robust health. They 

 are generally richer in colour on the 

 first eggs of the clutch ; for instance, 

 in the cases in which two eggs are 

 laid, one spotted and one unspotted, 

 the spotted egg is laid first. 



The eggs of all the birds on our 

 opening list are given, except the 

 thirteen which it is believed are still 

 unknown. Some of them have been 

 described from the only specimen that 

 exists ; many of them have not been 

 laid in this country, but that is no 

 reason why they should not be found 

 in a collection. By including them 

 we make our book complete, and it 

 is in that spirit we have ended it 

 by giving a last chance to the Great 

 Auk. 



Our six types we give in the margin. 

 The U type is the usual one ; the V 

 type is the longer variety, with the 

 sharper point ; the W type is the in- 

 tensified form of the V, such as we 

 have in the eggs of the Raven ; the 

 X type has both axes nearly equal ; 

 the Y is the pyriform type so common 

 among the Plovers ; and the Z is the 

 flattened oval, such as we get among 

 the Grebes. For the purposes of 

 reference, the letters to the left of the 

 page have been adopted instead of 

 figures, in order that only one system 

 of numbers may run through the book. 

 The measurements are in inches, the 

 first giving the length, the next the 

 greatest breadth. 



To take an example, let us say that 

 we have an egg three quarters of ai 

 inch long — that is, 75 of an inch— 



