collection vary in colouring from the light dull vermilion, which so often characterizes the merlin's eggs, to a deep rich morone, tinted, especially in newly-taken specimens, with a delicate crimson bloom.[1]
A few words more. The birds are not much seen in the day, but generally early in the morning. Whilst the hen bird
- ↑ As so few opportunities occur of weighing the eggs of the honey-buzzard and hobby, the following notes, most carefully made by Mr. Rake and myself, may not be without interest:—
Honey-buzzard's nest, taken June 16th, in a low fork of an oak-tree in Anses Wood, contained two fresh-laid eggs:—First egg (apothecaries' weight) 1oz. 3dr. 1sc. 5gr. Second egg (very slightly dinted) 1oz. 2dr. 2sc. 10gr. Honey-buzzard's nest, taken June 24th, in Ravensnest Wood, near Brook, in the higher branches of a tall beech, overhanging the road. This nest had been deserted, and the two eggs were very much addled and hard set:—
First egg 1oz. 4dr. 0sc. 10gr. Second egg 1oz. 3dr. 2sc. 10gr. Hobby's nest, placed in a nest which, in 1861, had been occupied by a honey-buzzard, was taken in Prior's Acre, June 21st, and contained three fresh-laid eggs, now in Mr. Rake's cabinet:—
First egg 6dr. 0sc. 0gr. Second egg 5dr. 2sc. 10gr. Third egg (very slightly dinted) 5dr. 2sc. 0gr. Hobby's nest, taken in South Bentley Wood, July 12, contained two eggs hard sat upon and addled:—
First egg 5dr. 2sc. 15gr. Second egg (cracked) 5dr. 0sc. 14gr. With these weights may be compared the following:—Egg, supposed to be that of a merlin, taken with two others which were broken, June 17th, 1862, near Alum Green, in the hole of a beech, rather sat upon, weighed 4dr. 1sc. 10gr. Two fresh-laid eggs of kestrels, taken at the same time, weighed 4d. 2sc. 15gr. Other eggs of kestrels, however, have weighed considerably more; and two others, also laid about the same time, came to 5dr. 5gr.
