I40 MINUTE MARVELS OF NATURE 



one above the other in almost parallel lines 

 between the flattened barbs on the underside of 

 the feathers. 



Fig. 88 shows a peculiar blossom-like form 



Fig. 88. Flower-like eggs of tlie parasite of the 

 Australian mallee-bird. x 30 diameters 



from the parasite of the Australian mallee-bird. 

 Another of these flower-like examples appears in 

 Fig. 89, this being taken from the turkey of 

 Japan. 



What purpose these lavish and varied decora- 

 tions serve in the economy of the embryo is 

 difficult to ascertain ; but from experiments made 

 it has been shown that the curved petaloid spines, 

 when the egg is placed under water, rapidly un- 



