120 
that the eggs are laid in pairs that will hatch 
male and female; that the two are not the 
same general shape or of the same general 
markings. One is a ‘‘ rooster egg,” not laid by 
the rooster, but will hatch out to be one, and 
is longer than the other, and has a predomi- 
nance of the dark brown markings, aggregated 
near the larger end; while the ‘“‘hen egg” is 
shorter, more pointed, has fewer brown 
blotches and more of the concealed or lilac 
color, and more evenly distributed over the 
whole egg. 
Now I will not vouch for the truth in this 
part of my letter, but it is my candid opinion, 
and as far as my experience goes the rule holds 
good. I would be glad to hear from other ob- 
servers on this point. 
NATURE'S REALM. 
The young of the buzzard, and also the 
“‘squabs” of the carrion crow, are pure white 
in the down, not a dingy yellow, but as clean 
looking as the driven snow. It is interesting 
to watch them as they grow, and the black 
quills appearing one by one in rows, till the 
beautiful down has disappeared and our squab 
is a ragged, dingy buzzard. It is several 
months before the young leave the nest. They 
are loath to be intruded upon, and emit the 
already decayed carrion in self-defense, and to 
the disgust of the intruders. 
Two eggs generally constitute a clutch, and 
are too well described in books to need men- 
tion here. 
Wood's Natural History gives a very good 
description of this bird. 

