BRITISH lURllS' NESTS. 17 



grey on the sides ; a few shorter ones lying over 

 the principal quills are tipped with white. Chin 

 and throat dull hlack, the feathers heing some- 

 wdiat elongated. Upper breast dark glossy green, 

 lower breast and all inider-parts black, spotted 

 sparingly with white about the thiglis and vent. 

 Legs covered witli l)ro\vn hair-like feathers ; toes 

 and claws black. 



The female measures about twenty-six inches in 

 length, and differs very considerably in the colour 

 of her plumage. The feathers of her head, ijeck, 

 back, wings (except quills, which are dusky), rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail tawny brown, barred 

 with blackisli-brown and tipped with white. Throat 

 tawny red; breast of a lighter tinge, spotted sparingly 

 with white ; belly and under-parts generall)' , barred 

 with pale tawn}^ and black, the feathers being 

 tipped with greyish- white. Legs greyish-brown ; 

 toes and claws pale brown. 



Situation and Localit/j. — On the ground, under 

 a bush or bramble, amongst long grass or heather, 

 in Scotch fir, larch, and spruce forests ; also, but 

 more sparsely, in oak and birch forests, through 

 the Midlands of Scotland. 



Materials. — Dead grass, leaves, or pine needles 

 used as a lining to the hollow, scra^^ed or chosen, 

 in the ground. 



Eggs. — Six or eight to twelve or fifteen. Pale 

 reddish-yellow, spotted all over with two shades 

 of darker orange-brown. Size about 2'2 by I'G in. 



Time. — April, May, and June. 



BeinarlxS. — Resident. This bird became extinct 

 in Britain towards the end of the eighteenth century, 

 and was re-introduced from Sweden in 1837, since 

 which time it has thriven and spread in Scotland. 

 Call -of \i\?i\Q, i^eller, 'peller, 2^elhi-. The note of the 

 c 



