2 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Eggs. — Four to five, sometimes six. Some 

 authorities say as many as seven and eight ; hut 

 although I have heen hirds'-nesting now for five- 

 and-twenty years, I never met witli either numher. 

 Of a dull hluish-green, spotted and hlotched, and 

 rarely streaked with reddish-hrown and grey. They 

 vary considerahly, hoth in regard to ground colour, 

 shape, size, and markings. Some varieties are 

 covered with small spots, others with such large 

 ones that they very closely resemble the eggs of 

 the Eing Ouzel, whilst a third variety is almost 

 spotless. Size about 1-18 by "85 in. 



Time. — March, April, May, June, July, and even 

 as late as August. 



Bemarls. — Eesident. Notes : call, fsissrr, facJ,-, 

 tad-; alarm, a loud, ringing s^miJi, or cJiiiiJ:, cJiiul-, 

 cliinl-. Song powerful, and generally delivered at 

 the beginning or end of the day. Local and 

 other names : Merle, Black Ouzel, Amzel Ouzel. A 

 close sitter. 



BLACKCAP. 



Descrij)tioii of Parent Birds. — Length about six 

 inches ; bill of medium length, straight, and dark 

 horn colour. Irides brown. All the upper part 

 of the head black ; nape ash grey ; back and wing- 

 coverts ash-grey, tinged with brown ; wing and 

 tail-guills brown, bordered with grey ; cheeks, chin, 

 throat, and breast light grey; belly and under-parts 

 white ; legs and toes lead colour ; claws brown. 



The female is larger than the male ; the top 

 of her head is dull rust colour, and her plumage 

 generally more tinged wdth brown. 



Situation and LocaJitij. — In brambles, briars, 

 thick hedges, nettles, and gooseberry bushes, in 



