THE COI1I1ECTORS' pNTlM. 



Devoted to Ornithology, Oology and Natural History. 



BIRDS' NESTS AND EGGS. 



Written for the Collector's Monthly. 



The first generalization likely to be made 

 by the collector in regard to eggs, is that 

 birds breeding in holes or places which are 

 dark lay white eggs. 



..Take for example the Sand-martin and 

 Kingfisher which lay their eggs in banks and 

 the Wood- pecker and Owl which breed in 

 holes in trees ; these birds lay white eggs. 

 Why is this ? Simply because being incubat- 

 ed in the dark Nature takes no trouble to 

 waste her coloring matter where not need- 

 ed. 



The eggs of Puffins and Petrels which 

 breed in holes have traces of spots upon 

 them, while those of the Auks and Gulls, 

 very near relations, are very highly colored 

 by reason of being hatched in open nests. 

 The theory of this is, that the Petrels and 

 Puffins have but lately taken to breeding in 

 holes so the coloring matter being of no 

 further use is gradually disappearing. So 

 we assume the color of an egg is due to the 

 place is which it is laid. 



The second generalization to be made is 

 the color of the birds. All birds dress as 

 gorgeous as Nature will permit, being as a 

 rule very vain. 



The hen birds breeding in holes are as a 

 rule gorgeously colored being due to the 

 fact that, being concealed during the incuba- 

 tion they are free from attacks of the merci- 

 less Hawks and thus may take on brilliant 

 plumage, while the hen birds breeding in 

 nests not being very well concealed during 

 breeding are shabbily dressed so as to bet- 

 ter escape the the keen eye of the Hawk. 



The hen Kingfishers and Beeeaters are 



as gorgeous as their mates while the Hum- 

 mingbird is very shabbily dressed and its 

 mates plumage is unrivaled. 



Why then is this (inequality? because the 

 hen bird while breeding is more the color of 

 its nest and so escapes prying eves while the 

 mate having no occasion for this, is gavlv 

 dressed. 



The Kingfisher relies upon the concealed 

 nest for the safety of its eggs, while the 

 Humming bird relies upon the unobtrusive 

 plumage of its mate. A large number of 

 birds such as the Sandpiper, Plover, etc, 

 lay their eggs upon the ground and for the 

 protection of the same are found to be near- 

 ly the same color as the ground upon which 

 they are laid. 



The birds building their nests on high 

 trees or cliffs ate too powerful to be afraid 

 of the Magpie, a great destroyer of eggs, and 

 so build their nests out of reach of beasts of 

 of prey. Many birds which go in colonies 

 lay their eggs openly and rely upon their 

 strength to repulse all marauders. This 

 class includes the Herons, Comorants etc. 



From this generalization we learn that the 

 color of the eggs is clue to surrounding in- 

 fluences, and the saftey of the same is due 

 to the concealment of the nests, the plumage 

 of the birds being due to the hiacessibility 

 of the nests and the strength of [he birds. 

 Fred G , 



Customer — It is less than a year since you 

 stuffed my poor little Paroquet, and the 

 feathers are falling out already. 



Naturalist — That shows the excellence of 

 the work. I stuff birds so naturally that 

 they moult just as if they were alive. 



