PREFACE THE very kindly reception by the press, and a steady public appreciation, have led to this endeavour to make my little book more complete, by preparing an Enlarged Edition, including all British-breeding birds that have now any reasonable claim for treatment. The work deals with a number of more or less familiar winter visitors that do not stay to breed with us however, this is perhaps an advantage nowadays, when we all travel much and far. As mentioned in the preface to the first Edition, this book is not intended to encourage the useless collecting of birds eggs from a mere bric-a-brac motive, but to aid the youthful naturalist in the study of one of the most interesting phases of bird life. It is to be hoped that the Act of Parliament empowering County Councils to protect either the eggs of certain birds, or those of all birds breeding within a given area, will be of great benefit to many of our feathered friends. Besides a pretty extensive experience, I have, in the preparation of this work, sought the aid of such excellent authorities as Yarrel fourth Edition, Seebohm, Dixon, and others, to all of whom I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness. BOKEHAM WOOD, ELSTREE, HERTS, 1896. 535170 R. KEARTON. WORKS BY R. KEARTON, F.Z.S., F.R.P.S. KEARTONS NATURE PICTURES THE FAIRYLAND OF LIVING THINGS BRITISH BIRDS NESTS OUR BIRD FRIENDS NATURES CAROL SINGERS WILD NATURES WAYS WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA PICTURES FROM NATURE WILD LIFE AT HOME THE ADVENTURES OF COCK ROBIN AND HIS MATE THE ADVENTURES OF JACK RABBIT STRANGE ADVENTURES IN DICKY- BIRD LAND Casiell and Company. Ltd., London. New York. Toronto and Melbourne BIRDS NESTS, EGGS, AND EGG- COLLECTING INTRODUCTION. The Problem ofPreservation. As a rule the first subject to which the young naturalist turns his at- tention is the most interesting one within his reach, and that subject is undoubtedly found in bird-life particu- larly that portion of it which concerns the nests, eggs, young, and various modes of nidification, for this is really the kernel of ornithology. Its details teach him the utility of systematic study and close observation, two important points in all matters of scientific research. It is my intention in the following pages to furnish as full and interesting particulars on Oology, which may fairly be entitled to the dignity of a science, as can be found, or is likely to be required, in any popular treatise of its modest compass. This particular branch of natural history has been until lately but indifferently studied in fact, considered unworthy of higher attention than that which could be bestowed upon it by schoolboys. People have been content to know that the wonderful architecture and mechanism of a birds nest was the outcome of a force vaguely known as instinct, without taking the trouble to discover its workings, extent, or limits. Instinct is an extremely difficult power to define, and whether it be described as t hereditary habit or simply accepted as an unknown law of Nature blindly followed by its possessor, it cannot be denied that it is the outcome of conditions, and always amenable to them. If the word mystery were often substituted for instinct, be at all out of place, for it means quite as much…