82 HEWITSON'S "BRITISH OOLOGY." 



took to the water, down the stream of which they were hurried 

 with such rapidity that I supposed it impossible that any of them 

 could weather it ; they did so, however, and landed safely far 

 below." 



Another plate, with but one beautiful egg of the Golden Oriole, 

 a species which has not hitherto been known to breed in Britain. 

 This egg is a good deal like that of the Song Thrush, only the 

 markings are on a white ground. There are, also, a few delicate 

 spots of a pinkish hue. 



Eggs of the three- British species of Saxicola, two of those of the 

 Whin Chat, ( S. rubetraj. The latter have been erroneously con- 

 sidered, by most authors, as invariably spotless ; our observation 

 agrees with that of Mr. Hewitson. All four are beautifully repre- 

 sented. 



Figures of those of the Nightingale and Robin — two of each. 

 Of the former, one is of the characteristic dull green, and spotless ; 

 the other obscurely dotted with rufous brown. In our collection, 

 one of these spotted specimens is much more thickly besprinkled at 

 the large end, where the specks become confluent, till at the extre- 

 mity it appears of a uniform brown. Nightingale's eggs vary much 

 in size. The spots are rarely so large as in Mr. Hewitson's figure. 

 The Robin's eggs are not typically represented ; many in our cabi- 

 net are very dissimilar; not unfrequently they are almost white. 



The next plate exhibits the Fen Reedling's, Sedge Reed- 

 ling's, and Locustelle's eggs, one of each. The first is not a bad 

 average example, though rather dark; in general, the light ground 

 colour is much clearer. This bird much more commonly nidificates 

 in tall shrubs, than is generally supposed, even where reeds are 

 plentiful in the close vicinity. The Sedge Reedling's egg we do 

 not so much approve of, — at least to judge from our own extensive 

 series,, wherein there is not one resembling it. Undoubtedly it is a 

 difficult egg to represent correctly; its colours should be rather more 

 blended : however, it could not be well mistaken for that of any 

 other British species. The Locustelle's egg, we doubt not, has been 

 executed with very great care, and is scrupulously correct. We 

 long imagined that a specimen was in our possession, and were not 

 a little pleased to find it exactly accord with Mr. Hewitson's figure, 

 minus, however, the one little dash of black, which is unimportant. 

 A few irregular black streaks are very prevalent in the eggs of all 

 these birds, which may be easily washed off by simply wetting 

 them. The same applies to many of the darker markings on the 

 eggs of birds ; always unless there is a thin covering of shell over 



