EGGS OF BIRDS. 
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neck white on the fore part, marked with ferruginous spots ; sides of 
the body marked the same ; the back of the neck and upper parts of the 
body brown ; some of the secondary quill-feathers and wing- coverts next 
the body white. The female, in general, is not so full of feathers on 
the head. 
Inhabits the fens of Lincolnshire, where it breeds ; lays four or five 
white eggs on a floating *(?)* nest. Feeds on fish and water plants. Is 
sometimes found in the winter in the inlets and rivers on the coast. 
Found in the north of Europe, in Iceland, and Siberia. 
EASTERLING.— A name for the Smew. 
EBB. — A name for the Bunting. 
EGGS OF BIRDS. — By experiment it appears that birds do not 
instinctively know the necessary time of incubation ; for we have 
repeatedly taken the eggs of a bird unincubated, and placed them under 
another of the same species, who was on the point of hatching, and vice 
versa, those on the point of hatching into the nest of such who had only 
began to sit ; and in both cases the young were brought to maturity. 
Birds will sometimes discriminate the egg of another species put into 
their nest, and will turn it out ; but they will frequently breed up the 
young of another when exchanged, provided they are of the same age, 
and not very large when the experiment is made. 
Those who suppose a bird capable of producing eggs at will, or that 
any bird is excited to lay more eggs than usual by daily robbing their 
nest, are certainly mistaken. In a domesticated fowl it is probable the 
desire of incubation may be prolonged by leaving little or nothing in the 
nest to sit on. It will therefore lay the number allotted by nature, 
which is determined before the first egg is produced. If it is prevented 
from incubation by any means whatever, it may begin again to lay in 
five or six days ; but there is always an interval of a few days, and some- 
times as many weeks, which must wholly depend on the age and vigour 
of the bird. When it happens that a fresh lot of eggs is laid with only 
a few days’ interval, and that perhaps in the same nest, it is deemed a con- 
tinuation, for want of nice observation ; but we are not to look to domes- 
ticated animals for natural causes, for those are taken from their state 
of nature. Let us look to the birds in their natural wild state, and see 
if any well-attested instances are to be found where they have laid more 
eggs successively, by taking one from the nest daily. For instance, the 
number laid by a hedge-sparrow is commonly five, sometimes only four, 
and rarely six ; will the taking away the daily-laid egg produce a seventh 
or an eighth ? No : we believe there never was an instance ; at least 
we have never been fortunate enough to discover one in the great 
