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16 THE CONDOR VoL. XII shape. Physical characteristics cause some birds to produce eggs differing from the average eggs of their species to such an extent that distinguishing peculiarities can easily be traced thru set after set for a number of years. Speckled eggs of a species normally laying unmarkt eggs are of less frequent occurrence than are immaculate examples of those which commonly lay spotted or markt specimens. Of the former, I once examined a set of three pipt eggs of the Western Blue Grosbeak that were sprinkled with freckle-like specks of yellowish- brown and obscure blotches of lilac. Another time. I found a Robin's egg that-was well spotted with olive-brown, chiefly around the large end. This, and the following remarkable instances, occurred in New York State. Fig. 8. oN? RUNT ?GG IN ?ACH SE?T: NO. ?1, LONG-TAILI?D CHAT; NO. 2, RUSSET-BACKT THRUSH; NO. 3, AMI?RICAN ?AR?D GRI?B]?; NO. 4, HOUS? FINCH One August day, as I approacht a large tree having long, drooping branches, I was startled by an American Goldfinch flying near my face. On looking up, a typical nest of this species was seen within reach of my hand. It contained sever- al young birds and one well-spotted egg, the shell of this egg being dented and the partially formed embryo dried up. The next year a set of four spotted eggs were found in a nearby tree by a friend of mine. These were taken by him, and were unfortunately destroyed by a playful dog on reaching home. I was agreeably sur- prised later in the season, to find a handsome set of four spotted eggs of the Goldfinch on the original branch of the first tree. All nine eggs were rather uni- formly speckled with various shades of light reddish-brown. The shades of color,