Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19

Treasures the Birds Hide in Their Fragile
Homes in the Tree Tops-Curious Facts
About the Size and Markings of Eggs
A Popular Error.
| WRITTEN FOR THE pIsrATcH.l
There is nothing more interesting to
study than fine collection of bird eggs,
neatly arranged and labeled. Time thus
spent is not only pleasant but profitable.
To know the name of bird egg when
placed before you is something that can be
acquired only by long observation and ex-
| perience. But even then it is easy to be
misled, for the eggs of the same bird often
vary perceptibly, both in shape and mark
ings, and especially in certain species.
Probably among our common birds the
eggs of the English sparrow vary more,
both in shape and color, than any other.
This is perhaps due to the adaptation of
this bird to any climate or kind of food. 1t
builds in holes and out, and as the location
of the nests of all birds have something to
do with the color of the eggs, this may be
thus explained. Eggs Of blackbirds always
vary In markings, which are sometimes
very curious.
Next ranks the brown thrush, called by
some the "yellow mocker." The eggs of
this bird vary more in color than in shape,
but the same individual bird always lays
the same shaped and colored eggs. Not so
with the sparrow. The same female may
have in her nest eggs large and small, dark
and light The bluebird's egg has q
standard size, but is often different in color.
The robins probably lay eggs more uniform
both in shape and color than most birds.
Likewise the phoebebird, wren and chin
ney swift. But there are exceptions to all
these, for even in a robins nest l have
found eggs laid by the same bird differ in
shape, some being long, while others were
round like marbles.
Why Eggs Vary in size.
This variation in shape maybe due partly
to the sex of the prospective young bird.
In birds that lay only two eggs, as the
doves and pigeons, one is always notably
larger than the other. The large one
contains the male, while the least one gen.
orally matches out his wife. have often
noticed that birds laying only two eggs
hardly ever show fight in protecting their
homes
The size of the bird does not always regu-
late the size of the egg, for the plover, a
comparatively small bird, lays an egg SINH
lar in every respect to that of the crow.
Neither has the color of the bird anything
that the blue birds egg is blue, but so is
the robins and catbird's, neither of which
has q tinge of blue in its plumage.
The popular impression that if bird is
speckled its egg is also speckled is incor-
rect The brown thrush is speckled and SO
is its egg, but the yellowhammer, downy
and hairy, woodpeckers and others have
speckled plumage, but lay clear, white eggs
The eggs of the cowbird, kingbird, redbird
and blackbird are all marked with dots,
while the plumage of these birds is of uni
form color. The color or markings
of eggs are very apt to be in mimicry
of the surroundings of the nest
1t has been said that birds that
have concealed nests usually have
white eggs. This rule has too many excep-
tions to be considered a rule at all. A few
exceptions are the wren, bluebird, nut
hatch and English sparrow.
The Markings of Eggs.
On speckled eggs the markings usually
lie toward the larger end, but in one in
stance, that of the orchard oriole, saw it
lust the reverse. Eggs laid early in the
season are apt to be larger and more deeply
colored than later ones. The best example
of this is found in the pigeon hawks.
Some eggs change their color slightly when
blown.
The business of an egg collector is looked
upon by most persons as one of robbery. 1t
is not necessarily So There is hardly any
bird that will not return and hatch the re-
naming eggs if you take only one, not dis
turbing the nest, and at times have known
them to replace the removed egg
The tras of the oologist are many. He
will find the best eggs in thorny trees. Rare
eggs are very frequently thin shelled or
partly incubated. Often, after climbing 30
or 60 feet heavenward, he is chagrined to
find last years nest, or more likely one
filed with little writhing creatures that
seem to be all skin and mouth. The COM
mon mode of blowing eggs is very danger
Gus, as the writer experienced during the
last season while blowing decayed eggs of
the Rocky Mountain grouse: This is all
very discouraging to beginner, but he
feels amply repaid when he sees with what
interest his friends examine his collection.
CECIL M. BASKET.