28-2 BRITISH BllilJS' XESTS. 



Eggs. — Four to five, blue-green, freckled, and 

 spotted with brown. They are, as a rule, covered 

 witli larger spots than the eggs of the Blackbird, 

 but upon occasion the latter will lay eggs resembling 

 them so closely that it is quite impossible to dis- 

 tinguish without seeing the parent birds or knowing- 

 something of the locality of the nest. Size about 

 12 by -84 in. 



Time. — April, May, and June, generally the 

 last two months. 



BemarJcs. — Migratory, arriving in xVpril and 

 departing about tlie end of October. Notes : song, 

 desultory, plaintive, and far-sounding. Local and 

 other names : Rock Thrush, Ring Thrush, Rock 

 Ouzel, Tor Ouzel, Ring Blackbird. Sits pretty 

 close, and is somewhat demonstrative when dis- 

 turbed. 



ROBIN. Also Redbreast. 



Descripfioii of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 five and three quarter inches. Bill of medium 

 length, nearly straight, and black ; crown, nape, 

 back, wings, and tail, olive-brown. Round the base 

 of the beak, eyes, and upon the throat and upper 

 breast, orange red, succeeding which is a narrow 

 space of bluish-grey; the rest of the under-parts 

 white, tinged with brown on the sides, flanks, and 

 under tail-coverts. Legs, toes, and claws reddish- 

 brown. 



The female is slightly smaller, and her coloration 

 is not quite so bright. 



Situation and Localitij. — In a hole in a bank. 

 Our second illustration shows one in a typical 

 situation, occupied by a young Cuckoo at the time 

 it was photographed ; and our first, one just under 



