REDBREAST 43 



brown points can be seen with a lens on some of the eggs. 

 This nest forms a marked contrast to one which I took 

 two or three years ago out of a hole in an apple-tree ; 

 the latter is semicircular in form, and is composed of 

 moss and fine root-fibre, lined with hair, fibre and two or 

 three small pieces of withered grass." 



Writing from Thanet, Mr. H. S. D. Byron says : " On 

 May 22, 1888, I found a Kobin's nest from which the 

 young had flown ; it, however, contained an egg, evi- 

 dently bad from its discoloured appearance. As this egg 

 was of most unusual size I cut it open and found it con- 

 tained two dead young birds, each perfectly formed and 

 almost ready to have burst the shell. The shell was 

 rather large in the middle, tapering off to each end, and 

 the birds were placed with their heads towards the points, 

 the small portion of unconsumed j^olk being between 

 them in the middle of the egg. The colouring of the 

 shell, however, was collected chiefly at one end, as is 

 generally the case with Eobin's." 



A-bout Orlestone Mr. R. T. Filmer says it is " common." 

 Mr. G. Dowker says it is " common in the district of 

 Stourmouth." Nonington, AV. Oxenden Hammond ; 

 Dover, C. Gordon ; Elmstone, Eev. W. B. Delmar ; 

 Walmer, Eev. B. Austen ; Dover, G. Gray ; Folkestone, 

 H. Ullyett ; and Plomley Collection, Dover. "Resident 

 all the year," Rev. C. H. Fielding, Mailing and its 

 Valley. " The familiar Robin makes itself at home 

 everywhere," Mr. AV. Prentis, Birds of Rainliam. 

 Bethersden, Captain J. D. Cameron. " A Robin's nest 

 with five eggs was found at Elmstead in Kent, February 

 5, 1906." 



Note on Mis-coloured Eggs. — "Those who collect the 

 eggs of birds well know how different the colour and 



