THE REDSTART. 291 
walls nesting-sites occur in abundance, sometimes but a few inches in 
depth, at others several feet, it matters but little. Favourite situations 
are also amongst old ruins, but rarely at any great height from the ground. 
The nest itself is a very slovenly piece of workmanship, so loosely made 
in some cases as to render it impossible to remove it entire from its 
resting-place. It is made of dry grass, moss, sometimes a little wool, 
but neatly lined with hair and feathers, and will frequently remain empty 
for a few days when completed ere the first egg is deposited. The eggs 
are usually. five or six in number, occasionally seven, and even eight. 
They are a paler blue and more highly polished than those of the Hedge- 
Accentor ; and the shell is far more fragile. They vary in length from 
‘8 to ‘7 inch, and in breadth from ‘57 to 5 inch. You may remove the 
eggs of the Redstart, and yet she will continue laying, seldom forsaking 
the nest ; indeed Dixon has taken, by way of experiment, as many as 
twelve eggs consecutively from one nest. The same remarks apply to the 
Starling, and also to most life-paired birds and those who tenant the same 
nest each successive season, or build a new one close to that of the pre- 
ceding year. The young are fed entirely on insects and larve. It is most 
probable that only one brood is reared in the year; but should the first 
nest prove unfortunate, the birds will renew their attempts to rear a 
family. 
The Redstart cannot easily be confounded with any other British bird. 
Its head and back are slate-grey ; the wings are brown, the forehead white ; 
and the rump, tail (except the two central tail-feathers, which are much 
darker than the rest), breast, and flanks are rich chestnut, becoming much 
paler on the belly. A narrow band at the base of the upper mandible, the 
chin, upper throat, and ear-coverts are rich black. Legs, feet, and claws 
black ; irides dark brown. The female is a brown bird, but has the vent 
and tail chestnut, although not so brilliant as in the male. Birds of 
the year are like the female ; so, too, are the nestlings, but spotted above 
and below. After the moult in autumn the male bird closely resembles 
the female, owing to the broad brown margins of the feathers; but in the 
spring these margins are cast and the brilliant nuptial dress is assumed 
without a moult. 
In the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Greece, Ehrenberg’s Redstart (Ruticilla 
mesoleuca) occurs, but has been, to a very great extent, confounded with 
its near although perfectly distinct ally. It is easily distinguished from 
the Common Redstart by the white patches on the wings, similar to 
those on the wings of the Black Redstart. Ehrenberg’s Redstart has only 
become known in this country within the last few years. When I brought 
the first skin over from Asia Minor, no ornithologist would admit it to be 
more than an accidental variety of our bird; but the late Mr. Verreaux 
pointed out to me that it was an Eastern form of our Redstart which 
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