Abstract
Intra-clutch egg size variation was studied in SwallowsHirundo rustica in central Poland during two breeding seasons differing very much with respect to weather conditions. No correlation between egg volumes, lengths or breadths and the egg laying order was found. In one season (with high mean temperature and low precipitation) the final egg tended to be larger than the mean size of the preceding eggs in the clutch. Such a difference was not observed in the other season (with low mean temperature and high precipitation). This fact seemed to be connected with a general impact of weather conditions prevailing in each year on the breeding ecology of Swallows. There was no evidence for an expected short-term effect of temperature on egg size. All this suggests that the relation between proximate and ultimate factors affecting egg size variation may be very complex.
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