6 REDWING. 



have been obtained in Jan Mayen and Greenland. The bird nests 

 freely in Norway, Sweden, and the northern part of Russia ; 

 sparingly in East Russia, and perhaps in Poland, Austrian Gahzia, 

 and even Anhalt, near the Hartz Mountains ; while eastward the 

 breeding-range extends across Siberia to the Yenesei. In winter 

 the Redwing reaches Madeira, the Canaries, North Africa, and Asia 

 as far south as North-western India and eastward to Lake Baikal. 



Owing to the Gulf stream the climate is comparatively warm in 

 Norwa)', and there the Redwing sometimes breeds early in ]May, but 

 elsewhere later. In the forest-region the nest is placed on bushes 

 or low trees, and a colony of Fieldfares will frequently have a nest 

 or two of Redwings on the outskirts ; but in the barren districts, 

 sloping banks, hollows between stones, and low fences are selected. 

 The structure is composed of twigs and earth, lined with dried 

 grasses, and is frequently ornamented externally with lichens, 

 especially reindeer-moss. The eggs, generally 6, are of a peculiar 

 and evanescent green, closely streaked with reddish-brown, resem- 

 bling small varieties of the eggs of the Blackbird, but without the 

 bold markings of those of the Fieldfare : measurements -98 in. by 

 •75 in. Two broods are frequently reared in the season. The 

 parents show great anxiety when the nest with young is approached, 

 snapping their bills angrily as they flutter round the head of the 

 intruder. The song, which has been unduly eulogized, consists of 

 several clear flute-like notes which may be syllabled as trui, fnii, 

 trui, tritritri ; the call is see-iou. The food consists of insects, 

 small snails, and berries, but the Redwing seems to be less partial 

 to the last than are its congeners. Its flight is remarkably rapid. 



The adult male has the upper parts olive-brown ; wing-feathers 

 rather darker, with paler edges ; a broad whitish streak over the 

 eye ; under parts dull white, closely streaked with dark brown 

 on the throat, breast, and part of the flanks, the inner portion of 

 the last being of a rich chestnut-red ; under wing and axillaries 

 somewhat paler ; bill dark brown above, lighter at the lower base ; 

 legs pale brown. Length 875 ; wing 4-4 in. The female has the 

 plumage slightly duller than the male. The young bird is spotted 

 on both upper and under parts, and, after the first autumn moult, 

 it has well-defined pale tips to the wingcoverts. 



