XV CLASSIFICATION 389 
Maleo) in the sand, leaves the. sun to hatch it, and, 
apparently, takes no care of her child! The Crane 
lays her eggs upon marshland, and very soon after 
birth her young are running about; the common 
Stork, which is about the same size, builds on house- 
tops,and her young for many days are helpless. The 
eggs of the latter measure only 24 by 2, inches, 
those of the former 34 by 22 inches. The Apteryx, 
of course, lays upon the ground, and her eggs are 
of astounding size. The Snipe’s eggs are a great 
deal larger than the Blackbird’s, though the two birds 
are about the same weight. The Curlew’s egg is three 
times as big as that of the Raven, who equals her in 
bulk. It is very curious that some birds, which make 
their nests upon the narrow ledges of cliffs, in respect 
of the size of their eggs and the early activity of 
their young, resemble those which lay upon the level. 
Among them are the Gulls, the Razorbills, and 
Guillemots. Within a few hours from the time they 
emerge from the shell, these birds are able to run 
about, a serious danger one would have thought on 
a narrow ledge on which they must spend many days 
till at last they are able to fly, or in a burrow whose 
threshold overlooks a precipice. The Partridge’s eggs 
are no larger than the Snipe’s, and the nests of 
both birds are on the ground. Probably we have 
here an illustration of the second principle mentioned 
above—viz., that if the number laid be large, the size 
of the individual egg must of necessity be small. 
1 See Dr. F. H. Guillemard’s Cruise of the Marchesa, p. 
319. 
