I have a Pdf copy of the below paper...
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to examine (1) optimal clutch size in great
tits (Parus major) nesting in nest boxes; (2) variation in egg
morphology and nestling growth rate with position in the laying sequence; and
(3) hatching asynchrony and nestling survival as determined
by infrared nest cameras. We collected data from 73 clutches in artificial nest
boxes in the Zuojia Natural Preserve area in Jilin
Province, China, in 2005 and 2006, using infrared cameras to match laying order
to hatching order for four nests. Egg morphology and
growth rate were significantly affected by clutch size and position in the
laying order. Overall, egg size and growth rate increased with
position in the laying order. In general, it was difficult to detect
asynchronous hatching from observations alone, but data from our infrared
cameras showed that early-laid eggs tended to hatch before later-laid eggs,
leading to hatching asynchrony. However, females
invested more into last-laid eggs and nestlings, reducing size asynchrony among
the chicks and leading to higher survival rates of nestlings.
Our results, therefore, provide support for the ``brood survival" hypothesis
rather than for the ``brood reduction" hypothesis.