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tribes, lays six eggs. The crow tribes lay from four 
to six: thrushes, larks, finches, swallows, from five 
to seven. The parus caudatus, long-tailed titmouse, 
from ten to eighteen. The wren Motacilla Troglo- 
dytes about the same number. The golden-crested 
wren Motacilla Regulus from six to eight. Boarula 
the grey wagtail, the same number. The nestless 
cuckoo lays but one egg. Amongst water birds, the 
alca torda, or razor-bill, lays one egg on the bare 
rock, so nicely poised as not to be replaced after re- 
moval. ‘The birds when hatching sit close together 
in numerous ranks; the males and females doing 
the duty alternately. The gannet, pelecanus bassa- 
nus, lays one egg, and makes a rude nest. The wild 
swan lays four eggs; the tame, from six to eight. 
The wild duck lays from ten to fifteen eggs; the 
teal rather a larger number. 
The ostrich has been proverbial, since the days of 
Job, for its negligence as to due provision for its 
offspring. It is true that “ she leaveth her eggs in 
the earth, and warmeth them in the dust.” She has 
deposited them in the open desert, where the sand 
is easily trodden into a slight cavity. She is com- 
pelled to seek her food at a great distance, and rear- 
ing her lofty neck amid the level plain, she sees 
from afar the approach of man or beast, and leaving 
her eggs to the influence of the tropical sun, is 
hardly ever to be found near her nest. “* What time 
she lifteth herself up on high (or starts away in her 
alarm) she scorneth the horse and his rider.” This 
is a description of one well acquainted with the bird 
