b THE BIRDS OF KENT 



a mud mixture, but from the following account by Mr. 

 H. F. Witherby, of Blackheath, it appears that some 

 nests are made without mud : — 



" On April 20 (1893) I found three nests of the Song- 

 Thrush, T Urdus mtisicus, two of which contained four 

 eggs and the third three eggs. None of these nests had 

 any trace of mud in them. One of them, which I have 

 kept, is made entirely of grass, the lining of the inside 

 being a little finer in texture than the outside. The 

 inside of the nest is left in a very rough state, and the 

 grass is not woven together at all neatly, but looks as 

 though the bird had intended to line it in the usual way, 

 but was not able to obtain any. No doubt the reason 

 for this is the remarkably dry season. I might say that 

 these nests were found on some downs, while others found 

 near a river within a mile of the downs were formed in 

 the usual manner." 



The colour of the egg of the Thrush is a beautiful pale 

 blue, more or less spotted, and streaked with black and 

 dark brown. Mr. A. G. Butler, who has paid great 

 attention to British birds' eggs, gives the following notes 

 of several found in Kent : Eggs " normal form, Sitting- 

 bourne, May 24 ; Kodmersham, May 27 ; Barming, June 8. 

 Var. a, streaked at large end, like a bunting's egg, 

 with brown, Eodmersham, May 23 ; var. b, all the 

 spots extremely small, Murston, May 26 ; var. c, much 

 elongated, Sittingbourne, May 27 ; var. d, the black 

 spots at the small end, Barming, June 7 ; var. e, all 

 the spots pale brown, not rounded, Barming, June 8." 

 The eggs vary much in size and markings, even in the 

 same nest. On May 18 a nest was found containing four 

 beautiful young Thrushes, with fine bold black eyes, 

 nearly able to Hy ; this nest was placed in a whitethorn, 



