THE BLUE JAY 115 
that its eggs should be as conspicuous as possible, for a 
bird cannot count, and if the hen is unable to see her 
eggs, she will not be able to tell when some of them get 
separated from the others. For this reason, it is my 
belief—but the belief is not quite orthodox—that natural 
selection has caused the eggs of birds which nest in 
holes to become white. 
One of the puffins, which nests in a dark burrow, lays 
coloured eggs, and actually whitewashes them to make 
them conspicuous! This sounds as though that bird 
was a “real cute one,” but I believe that the action is 
instinctive, that the bird does not know why she white- 
washes her eggs. 
Thus the fact that hen rollers and hen kingfishers are 
both gaily attired and lay white eggs, does not count 
for much as evidence of kinship. But in other respects 
they betray evidences of relationship. Both possess 
remarkably ugly voices. I have already dilated upon 
the vocal achievements of the beautiful white-breasted 
kingfisher, which is so common in Madras; I may now 
mention the fact that one of the Australian kingfishers 
has earned for himself the name of the laughing jackass, 
The Indian roller has a peculiarly ugly croaking note, 
and when angry emits “a grating cry or scream.” 
The members of both families are inclined to lead 
solitary lives. Although their food differs widely in 
nature, both families obtain it by like methods. King- 
fishers take up a position on a rock, stone, or branch 
overhanging water, and sit motionless until an unwary 
fish comes along; then, in less time than it takes to 
relate, the little fisherman has dived into the water, 
