BIRDS OP DUMFRIESSHIRE 
Morning 
of 
1st day. 
19.V.03. 
4tli day. 
22.V.03. 
8th day. 
26.V.03. 
12th day. 
30.V.O3, 
No.on egg. 
drs. grs. 
16 14 
drs. grs. 
16 6 
drs. grs. 
15 25 
drs. grs. 
15 16 
2. 
19 0 
18 14 
18 5 
17 21 
3. 
4, 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 
16 12 
17 19 
16 24 
19 11 
17 16 
16 20 
16 14 
17 20 
16 2 
17 6 
16 18 
19 0 
17 5 
16 9 
16 6 
17 8 
15 17 
16 21 
16 7 
18 20 
16 22 
15 24 
15 25 
16 21 
15 7 
16 13 
15 24 
18 8 
16 14 
15 15 
15 17 
16 14 
drs. grs. 
15 10 
17 10 
14 26 
15 15 
15 16 
17 23 
20th day. 23rd day. 
7.vi.03. 10.vi.03. 
15 11 
16 4 
drs. grs. 
15 5 
17 1 
14 7 
14 16 
15 12 
17 13 
15 23 
15 0 
24th day. 
ll.vi,03. 
drs. grs. 
Broken by accident, 
9. vi.03 : contain- 
ed an embryo. 
16 19 Chipped 
by chick. 
14 4 
13 19 
14 25 
17 7 
15 9 
14 0 
14 20 
15 9 
This proves that a general decrease in the weight of 
eggs took place whilst incubation was proceeding, the follow- 
ing table shewing the average decrease every fourth day—" * 
Variation in weight 
from first day. 
1 
Average Weight. 
grs. 
—10 
—21 
—30 
—40 
—49 
—66 
First day 
Fourth day 
Eighth day 
Twelfth day . . 
Sixteenth day . . 
Twentieth day , . 
Twenty-third day '. .' 
• 
drs. grs. 
17 12 
17 2 
16 18 
16 9 
15 26 
15 17 
15 0 
As an erratic nester the Pheasant has no equal, which 
cannot be wondered at, if we remember how domesticated 
this species has become. Eggs have been found in the nests 
ot the Partridge, Greyhen, MaUard and Woodcock, while 
a squirrel's disused drey, and the old nest of a Wood-Pigeon 
both several feet from the ground, may be recorded as proof 
of the versatility of the hen Pheasant in its choice of a nesting- 
site. In 1902 a nest was discovered at Capenoch by the 
side of a rabbit-proof wire-netting fence : visiting the nest 
next day it was found that the bird had moved all her ten 
* Hugh S. Gladstone, Ibis, 1904, p. 376. 
Y 2 
