1988 M. Stanback M. Formicivorus Murf HNHR 23 May 1430 #id eggs 5 r 6 (normal r short) 4 Jun 0710 RL = 3.85, LL = 4.2. I found shells 1 + 3 below the nest, #3 was Freshly hatched. As all the big eggs were the same size, RL = egg 3, LL = egg 1. Egg #6 is pipping. Egg 7 not yet pipped. All 4 small eggs were thrown out of the nest! Was this because they were so small? Or because they belonged to the dead 9 and thus were Fair game? Can birds identify their eggs? I don't think I noticed this egg size disparity in the 1st nest. Maybe the dead 9 was stressed out anyway at the onset of this nest (hence small eggs and death upon captivity) Does this address birds manip- lating clutch size in accordance w group size/weather? 6 Jun 0710 RL = 9.4, LL = 8.15, RW = 5.65. RW was From egg #7 (ie last laid + hatched) He hatched recently + was, for now, healthy. Egg #6 (was pipping) hatched, died, and was removed by birds (this is what I assume) 7 Jun 0710 RL = 11.8 RW = 6.42 LL is gone! 8 Jun 0700 Nest empty. Me thinks 'twas predation. This explains the one by one disappearance of kids. It, say, a mouse was the culprit, would this explain the missing small eggs (ie the ones it could carry?) Anyway, I think this nips in the bud the great 9 egg recognition hypothesis. By the by, this nest has been mite ridden all big. 23 Jun 0800-0815 Spied From afar. No sign of nestiness. I was watching from cvz when Murf juv 1485 showed up. See cv2 notes.