Their Eggs and Nests. 79 



wish I could think it as abundant with us as it used 

 to be. The nest is loosely constructed of moss, with a 

 few small straws or bents sometimes, and hair and 

 feathers inside, and almost invariably is placed in a 

 hole, it may be in a hollowish tree, or a wall, or even 

 in a bank ; and here, where dry-stone walls abound, 

 its choice of nesting-places is inexhaustible. Very 

 watchful are the old birds over the eggs, and very 

 fussy and noisy when the eggs have yielded their 

 living contents, and yet very careful too. I knew 

 there was a nest the year before last (1860) not far 

 from my garden gate ; but it was not till I hid my- 

 self most carefully and patiently behind the door, that 

 I made myself master of the vigilant little sentinel's 

 secret. It lays four or five, and, occasionally, six eggs, 

 of a pale uniform blue colour, perhaps tinged with a 

 faint green shade. They are almost as pretty as the 

 Hedge-Sparrow's. — Fig. lo, plate IL 



BLACK REDSTART— (ie?///«7/^ Tithys ; formerly, 

 Phoeniciira Tithys). 



Tithys Redstart, Black Redtail. — It has been met 

 with in Britain perhaps half a dozen times, or indeed 

 more. 



STONE-CHAT— (5^A7V^A7 r///;?W^). 



Stone -chatter. Stone -clink. Stone -smick, Stone- 

 chack. Stone-smith, Moor-titling, Chickstone, Black- 

 cap. — A very common bird in many districts, and 

 from his habits much more familiarly and commonly 

 known and noticed than other birds equally, or even 

 more, abundant, but of less obtrusive, or quieter 



