NESTING OF REDSTART & WILLOW WREN IN SHETLAND 195 



once pronounced it to be a male Redstart in full plumage. 

 For two days after the capture, I saw its mate, on several 

 occasions, haunting the vicinity. My observation, so far as 

 it went, proves without any doubt that the Redstart pur- 

 posed nesting in Shetland this spring. 



I am at a loss to understand the reason why the Willow 

 Wren has not figured as a breeding species in the " Avifauna 

 of Shetland," for, with the exception of one or two other 

 species, I observed this bird most frequently during my 

 residence in Shetland, and its usual occupation, when under 

 observation, was singing or carrying suitable material for 

 building its nest. 



I have stated in another place that only in the nests of 

 the Wheatear and the Lark did I see eggs ; but then I left 

 the island on i4th May and bird life is not so up-to-date 

 as on the neighbouring mainland. Bearing this in mind, I 

 could not reasonably expect to find the eggs of the Willow 

 Wren so early in May, but should rather consider myself 

 fortunate in having discovered an incomplete nest. 



I found two nests in the process of construction, one by 

 the side of the high road to Sumburgh, a short distance 

 before the descent to the Pool of Virkie commences, and 

 another by the Mill Burn before it crosses the high road. 

 The former nest was made known to me by the noiselessness 

 and rapidity of my bicycle enabling me to detect the bird in 

 the very act of alighting on its nest with a piece of moss in 

 its beak. The nest, which I so suddenly discovered, was 

 almost completed, in fact the finishing touches alone remained 

 to be put on ; it was built upon the grass border to the road, 

 almost at its edge, which was about a foot above the level of 

 the road. 



The other nest was being built between a stone dyke and 

 the Mill Burn, on the grassy ground where weeds and grass 

 were long enough to give it some concealment. I was 

 watching Redstarts at the time ; but was interested in the 

 movements of a Willow Wren busy making a tiny collection 

 of suitable building materials, which it placed on the bank of 

 the Burn. I did not see two W T illow Wrens at the same 

 moment while this was going on, but occasionally one of the 

 pair made a selection from the collection and added it to the 



