74 



British Birds. 



THE RED-SPOTTED 

 BLUE-THROAT. 

 (Cyancciiln suecica.i 



the}- halt for a httle time before commencing their migrations The Robin is found 

 everywhere throughout the British Islands, and is likewise distributed throughout 

 Europe, migrating in autumn to the Mediterranean countries in considerable numbers, 

 and as far east as Persia. 



The nest is made of dead leaves and moss lined with rootlets and hair, and is 

 often placed on the ground in a bank, and is concealed by the surrounding herbage ; 

 but all sorts of places are chosen by the bird, the hole of a tree or wall, the inside of 

 a tin or kettle, or an old hat hung up as a scarecrow. The eggs are from five to 

 eight in number, white, more or less thickly spotted with rufous, while sometimes 

 they are spotless blue or white. 



This pretty species occurs with us only on migration, and 



is much more frequently observed m the autumn than in the 



spring, though it has been known to occur at the last-named 



season of the year ; it has chiefly been noticed on our eastern 



coasts. On the continent it breeds in the 



high north and extends to Kamtchatka and 



even to Alaska in North West America. It 



is also found in Central Asia, and its winter 



home is in North East Africa, India and the 



Burmese Provinces. 



In Norway I have observed this species 

 breeding every vear at 350G feet in the birch- 

 woods, and alwa3's in the vicinity of swampy 

 ground, though I never could discover the 

 actual nest. A young bird which I caught 

 in 1897 ^^^^ ^ curiously striped little 

 creature, unlike the young of the Robins 

 or Redbreasts, and he carried his tail at an angle to his back, and stood very 

 high on his legs, having the aspect more of a Chat than a Robin. In a few days he 

 became so tame that he would fly out of his cage when called by his mistress, and 

 sit on her finger and take meal-worms from her hand ; and this, although the 

 room door stood open to the garden, and he could have flown away at any time. 

 The parent birds hovered round the house for a few days, and even came down 

 to the door of the room, calling to their youngster to accompany them, but he 

 seemed to be quite contented with his lot. 



The Blue-throat is a very handsome little bird, with a chestnut tail, which 

 is black for the terminal half. The upper surface is brown, but the principal 

 feature of the species is the cobalt blue of the throat, which has also a conspicuous 

 spot of chestnut. There is a black and white collar across the chest, while the 

 breast is chestnut, the abdomen white. The female has no blue on the throat. 

 The nest resembles that of a Robin and is placed on the ground and well-concealed. 



The Red-spotted Blue-throat. 



