BLACK REDSTAET. 15 



(Butterwortli). Mr. Henry Johnson writes (ZooZ., 1850, 

 p. 2769) under date January 23rd, 1849, that he 

 examined (presumably at a recent date) a freshly killed 

 specimen which had been shot at Aigburth, near Liver- 

 pool, whilst feeding with a small flock of Snow- 

 Buntings. 



[One seen near Lytham, F. Brownsword, ZooL, 1892, 

 p. 115.— Ed.] 



GENUS EEITHACUS. 



EEDBEEAST. 



Erithacus rttbecula (Linnaeus). 



Local Name — Bobin. 



Resident, abundant, and nesting everywhere. It 

 remains throughout the hardest winters, and, except in 

 severe frost, sings the whole year round. It breeds in 

 the vicinity of the largest towns, but there its manners 

 appear to become demoralized, for in the Field of 

 September 10th, 1881, Mr. E, Q. Henriques of Man- 

 chester says that a few months before, at Higher 

 Broughton, he found a Eobin's nest in a dead cat. 

 Nidification commences early in April, and continues 

 through May, two broods being hatched in the season. 

 The clutches of eggs vary a good deal, and sometimes 

 approach a pure white : their number is usually six, 

 sometimes five or seven. 



