[26] Romanes refers to _Silliman’s American Journal_, February 1872.
[27] These cases would seem to contradict the statement made on p. 82 that small families occur when the young are protected by the parents. I cannot explain this exception. But what I have stated about the dependence of the birth rate on the amount of parental care is commonly true. In this connection I would quote Mr. Pycraft (_Infancy of Animals_, p. 214): “A careful survey of the facts shows us that the production of large numbers of eggs and young produces the same result as obtained where but few eggs are laid, and are either carefully guarded by the parents or are specially protected by some other means.”
[29] Pycraft, _ibid._, p. 218. The story of this excellent father and also several of the other cases given are taken from Yarrell, _Brit. Fishes_, 2nd edit., ii. p. 436.
[30] J. Lewis Bonhote, _British Birds_, pp. 314-315. See also _The Truth about Woman_, pp. 107, 249, 265.
[31] P. Chalmers-Mitchell, _Childhood of Animals_, pp. 70, 109, 157.
[32] Several examples are mentioned in _Darwinism_, p. 281. Wallace, however, brings them forward in quite a different connection to prove his theory of the protective duller colours of the female birds.
[34] See p. 221, which is evidence that, perhaps, may be held to give some corroboration.
[35] An interesting account of the family qualities of birds is given by Espinas in _Des Sociétés Animales_, pp. 234-292.
[36] P. C. Mitchell, _Childhood of Animals_, pp. 157, 158. See also about the ostrich, _The Truth about Woman_, p. 94.
[37] This is done to my knowledge by the male wood-pigeon, missel-thrush, blue-martin, buzzard, stone curlew, curlew, dottrel, sand-piper, common gull, black-coated gull, kittiwake, razorbill, puffin, stormy petrel, great blue heron and black vulture. There are probably good fathers among other species whose names I have missed.
[38] Pycraft, _Infancy of Animals_, p. 62.
[39] Pycraft, _Infancy of Animals_, pp. 77-78.
[40] Mitchell, _Childhood of Animals_, pp. 160-162. Pycraft, _Infancy of Animals_, pp. 63, 68, 70, 71, 75, 76.
[41] The scene was witnessed by Miss Turner. I take my account from Mr. Pycraft, who quotes from Miss Turner.
[42] Mr. Eliot Howard calls attention to this remarkable conduct in his fascinating book on the _British Warblers_.