Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

The Colours of Guillemots' Eggs

Nature volume 65, page 5 (1901)Cite this article

Abstract

I Am glad to see that my friend Captain Barrett-Hamilton has written on the above subject, though it seems inconceivable to him that “the beautiful varieties of colouring must help each bird to distinguish her egg from others lying near until they all become stained and soiled.” The quotation is from “The Birds of Ireland” (p. 364), in which I put forward, as an opinion, the conclusion that I have been led to after many a day spent in climbing among breeding guillemots.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cappagh, co. Waterford,

    R. J. USSHER

Authors
  1. R. J. USSHER
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

USSHER, R. The Colours of Guillemots' Eggs. Nature 65, 5 (1901). https://doi.org/10.1038/065005a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/065005a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing