The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-19
SIZE ANDSHAPE or birds EGGS.
where Largest and smallest Are FSund
Esq mat aplns Llke a Ton.

where Largest and smallest Are FOtlnd
-Egg mat Spins i.lke q TOP.
A far as sine Ia concerned the egg a the
extinct Kpyornis 81 Madagascar was ia
Gle prinoeps. for Il held two gallons and
measured three feet in circumference
The smallest egg IL that Il the humnnR-
bird. though the English gold crested
wren lave an egg which is only half an
/ inCh in length
/ The shape u eggs yaries almost ~
much az the color. but u will always be
noticed that nature has arranged Il 40
that the axis Of an Gag - just where II
will prevent the egg from rolling oh a
nat ledge or being broken by the parent
bird iuttering "a the nest when fright
ened. notable example. says the Lon.
don Globe. a the eRg % the glIillemot
The single gag laid by this bird has no
nest at all N protect Il but rests on the
BARE rock. fully exposed 10 wind and
storm. However. the only effect that the
elements have upon IL IL n make Il spin
round 90 its axis like top.
To So the eggs Of these birds often
on tho very brink ~ a sheer drop into
the ooean many feet below makes ono
wonder that the species r. not speedily
eHt,rminatsyi. which would assuredly
happen werc not the guillemot's eggs
round. like thee ofthe kingfsher Flowers
eggs arr somewhat similar IN shape.
for here again the nest n no nest al all.
Bat merely a very slight depression In
the ground. Thess eggs are very large.
compared with the sire " the bird. and
their shape and number are such as %
ecuuomi ~ spaoe and enable the bird
- c1yer them.
PiOvors' eggs will ALWAYS be found with
Llsir points - tie centre. a0d a. m
va-iably four IN number ard u disa--
ranged the mother bird spss tily war
ranges taern They are amsng the most
difficult 2, find for their color ha-monizss
WOnderfully with their surroundings.
II u Interesting - notice that those
birds such a. the ban owl the king
fisher. the woOdpeckeT. tho martin the
lUng talked tit and others whose eggs
ar more or lees hidden from the light
u lay always or neary always lay white
eggs. but u must alan he observed tAat
tie duck family lay whitish eggs and the
fs'eid-ake who. by The bye. hea-s Out
10 NlFufys TOT Tie ueu NlFu ttuNaH a
rabbit burrOW for her nest invariably
lays a creamy white egg
But tie eggs Of the pigeon. re turtle
dove. TIE cOYmOrant and TIE Earrst cDIn-
plstelv upset all calculations Tor they are
al white and few nests can be- more oyen
o. the hEht than that II the tn ~ dove
Around the CuckOo's egg there has always
hung a halO Of romance. and many hFrce
controversies have raged about the color
II the egE. some declaring IL - he ~ one
fixed and unalterahle color and others
equally convinced that Il varies greatly
In hue Il 20 happens that neither faction
h absolutely night or wrong
On the authority % Mr. KeartOn We
learn that whether the cuckoo chooses
10 Law her egg IN the nest ~ wagtail.
meadow pipit or hedge sparrow, u h -of
q reddish gray with a darker belt formed
81 numerous continent spots az the thick
end Of the egg. but they are ven variable .
Thus We SO that the ground color u always
the same. but not % the spots. The mark
ings on sparrOws' eggs vary tremendously
and the writer found q blackbird's meet
with eggs exactly like thOse q a missel