THE PASSERINE BIRDS 121 



and the Black Redstart (Plate XXIV. figs. 3, 2). Both are 

 extremely handsome little birds, and both are tolerably common in 

 Great Britain during the summer months, though locally distributed. 

 In Ireland and Scotland these birds are increasing in numbers, and 

 extending their range. They are insect-eaters, and leave our shores 

 in autumn, though occasionally a few stragglers remain behind, 

 only probably to die, before the advent of spring, from inability to 

 procure a sufficiency of suitable food. Curiously enough the eggs 

 of these two species differ conspicuously, those of the Black Redstart 

 being of a pure, shining white, while those of its relative are of a 

 beautiful pale blue. They build nests of fine grass and moss, hidden 

 away in holes and buildings, under an inverted flower-pot, or in clefts 

 of rocks. 



A no less beautiful bird is the Blue-throat (Plate XXIX. 

 fig. 10). This bird was only a few years ago regarded as a 

 great rarity in Great Britain. It is now known to occur, how- 

 ever, with some frequency, every autumn. In Scotland it is still 

 rare, and so far it has not been met with in Ireland. 



There are two forms of Blue-throat, perhaps three. The first has 

 a red spot in the middle of the blue throat, the second, a white 

 spot, and the third no spot at all. The red-spotted form is a bird of 

 high northern latitudes, where its song enlivens the nightless Arctic 

 summer, rivalling that of the Nightingale in richness. The white- 

 spotted bird breeds south of the Baltic. The unspotted form may 

 probably be but a variety of the white-spotted. 



Of all the long roll of British Birds the Redbreast (Plate XXIX. 

 fig. 9) probably holds the chief place, and this on account of its 

 confiding ways and plaintive song. More generally this bird is 

 known as the " Robin," or '* Robin Redbreast." Even in great 

 cities it is no stranger, at any rate wherever there are parks or large 

 gardens. Concerning so general a favourite we need say but little ; 

 but it would be well to point out here that the males and females 

 cannot be distinguished, externally, from one another. What are 

 so generally supposed to be females are really the young birds in their 

 first plumage — a dull dress of brown, showing no trace of the beautiful 

 orange-red throat, so conspicuous in the adults. 



Though it is not true to say that no brightly coloured birds sing 



16 



