From the brilliantly green and glossy eggs of the Elegant Crested
Tinamou--said to be among the most beautiful in the world--to the
small brown eggs of the house sparrow that makes its nest in a
lamppost and the uniformly brown or white chickens' eggs found by
the dozen in any corner grocery, birds' eggs have inspired
countless biologists, ecologists, and ornithologists, as well as
artists, from John James Audubon to the contemporary photographer
Rosamond Purcell. For scientists, these vibrant vessels are the
source of an array of interesting topics, from the factors
responsible for egg coloration to the curious practice of "brood
parasitism," in which the eggs of cuckoos mimic those of other bird
species in order to be cunningly concealed among the clutches of
unsuspecting foster parents.
"The Book of Eggs "introduces readers to eggs from six hundred
species--some endangered or extinct--from around the world and
housed mostly at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.
Organized by habitat and taxonomy, the entries include newly
commissioned photographs that reproduce each egg in full color and
at actual size, as well as distribution maps and drawings and
descriptions of the birds and their nests where the eggs are kept
warm. Birds' eggs are some of the most colorful and variable
natural products in the wild, and each entry is also accompanied by
a brief description that includes evolutionary explanations for the
wide variety of colors and patterns, from camouflage designed to
protect against predation, to thermoregulatory adaptations, to
adjustments for the circumstances of a particular habitat or
season. Throughout the book are fascinating facts to pique the
curiosity of binocular-toting birdwatchers and budding amateurs
alike. Female mallards, for instance, invest more energy to produce
larger eggs when faced with the genetic windfall of an attractive
mate. Some seabirds, like the cliff-dwelling guillemot, have
adapted to produce long, pointed eggs, whose uneven weight
distribution prevents them from rolling off rocky ledges into the
sea.
A visually stunning and scientifically engaging guide to six
hundred of the most intriguing eggs, from the pea-sized progeny of
the smallest of hummingbirds to the eggs of the largest living
bird, the ostrich, which can weigh up to five pounds, "The Book of
Eggs" offers readers a rare, up-close look at these remarkable
forms of animal life.
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