12 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



seventeen nests were found in one wood during a single 

 season. The nest is generally placed in a convenient 

 crotch of some bush or low tree, and is of a flimsy 

 character — a most unusual type of nest in this family 

 of birds. It is somewhat deep and made of dry stalks 

 of grasses, lined with horse-hair, beautifully rounded and 

 neatly put together. Of the behaviour of the bird when 

 disturbed at the nest 1 can find nothing recorded ; but 

 the female apparently is shy and retiring at this period. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Scarlet Rose Finch are from four to six 

 in number ; five is the average clutch. They are deep 

 bluish-green in ground colour, spotted and speckled 

 somewhat sparingly with rich blackish-brown and paler 

 brown, and with underlying markings of gray. On 

 many eggs the spots form an irregular zone round the 

 larger end. Average measurement, '8 inch in length, by 

 •59 inch in breadth. The period of incubation (which 

 is performed by the female) appears to be unknown. 



Diagnostic characters : I know of no reliable 

 character by which the eggs of the Scarlet Rose Finch 

 can be distinguished from those of the Bullfinch. The 

 spots may be darker and certainly fewer than on the 

 eggs of the latter bird, but this test is worthless. The 

 nests of the tw^o birds cannot possibly be confused, how- 

 ever, even if the parents are not seen. 



