252 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vii. 



specimen from the Gould collection, and without data, 

 so may have been \^Tongly identified. Kricheldorff how- 

 ever [loc. cit.) states that he possesses a genuine erythristic 

 clutch. Mr. C. E. Wright took a set in Northants, in 1907, 

 with light brown blotches faintly tinged with pink ; and 

 Mr. W. Fitzherbert Brockholes possesses a clutch of five 

 red eggs taken at Claughton, Lanes., 25th May, 1903, 

 A^hich he ascribes to this species, stating tliat his woodman 

 who found the nest carefully identified the bird. We 

 venture to think that erythrism in this species still requn'es 

 definite proof.] 



Blackcap {S. a. atricapiUa). — The red type in this species 

 is well-known, and specimens are to be found in most 

 collections. It is fairly common in Germany, and though 

 never frequent anywhere, has occurred in most parts of 

 England. Mr. P. F. Bunyard's collection contains a very 

 fine series of eighteen British and Continental clutches. 

 Key estimated the proportion of red eggs in Germany at 

 6 per cent. The remarkable variety with chesnut blotches 

 on a white ground has occurred in England as v,e]l as in 

 the Canaries, and is figured in the Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus., 

 IV., pi. vin., figs. 10-14. 



Whitethroat {S. c. communis). — In England the red 

 variety is rare, but several instances are knoA\Ti. Mr. T. 

 Parkin has a set from Kent, formerly in the Bond collection ; 

 the late Mr. H. J. Pearson had one taken near Nottingham ; 

 Mr. R. H. Read has a red set from Oxfordshire, and also 

 a pink clutch from Ealing : F. C. R. Jourdain has one 

 from Leicestersliire, and a set from Northumberland is in 

 ]\Ti. J. M. Goodall's possession. A clutch of red eggs from 

 Gloucestershire was formerly in Major F. W. Proctor's 

 collection, and two sets of pink eggs from Yorkshire are 

 recorded by Nelson {Birds of Yorks., I., p. 66). Mr. P. F. 

 Bunyard has four erythristic clutches of Continental 

 origin.* 



[Lesser Whitethroat (S. c. curruca). — The true red 

 tj^pe is not known to occui in the eggs of this species, but 

 one set in Mr. Bunyard's collection is tinged with pale 

 red.] 



Sardinian Warbler {S. m. melanocephala). — Erjiihristic 

 types are not uncommon in this sj)ecies. Though not as 

 a rule very bright in colour, they range from aj)ricot- 

 pink to dull brick-red. Clutches of this type have been 



* The Eastern Whitethroat {S. c. icterops) frequently lajs eggs 

 of an erythristic type in central Asia. 



