2 BRITISH BIRDS' JSfESTS. 



Eggs. — Four to five, sometimes six. Some 

 authorities say as many as seven and eight ; but 

 although I have been birds'-nesting now for five- 

 and-twenty years, I never met with either number. 

 Of a dull bluish-green, spotted and blotched, and 

 rarely streaked wdth reddish-brown and grey. They 

 vary considerably, both in regard to ground colour, 

 shape, size, and markings. Some varieties are 

 covered with small spots, others with such large 

 ones tliat they very closely resemble the eggs of 

 the King Ouzel, whilst a third variety is almost 

 spotless. Size about 1*18 by 'S5 in. 



Time. — March, April, May, June, July, and even 

 as late as August. 



BemarJiS. — Resident. Notes : call, tsissrr, tack, 

 tad-; alarm, a loud, ringing syinlx, or cliinlx, cJiinJi-, 

 cliinli. Song powerful, and generally delivered at 

 the beginning or end of the day. Local and 

 other names : Merle, Black Ouzel, Amzel Ouzel. A 

 close sitter. 



BLACKCAP. 



Desc /■/])( in II of Parent Birds. — Length about six 

 inches ; bill of medium length, straight, and dark 

 horn colour. Irides brown. All the upper part 

 of the head black ; nape ash grey ; back and wing- 

 coverts ash-grey, tinged wdtli brown ; wing and 

 tail-quills brown, bordered with grey ; cheeks, chin, 

 throat, and breast light grey; belly and uuder-23arts 

 white ; legs and toes lead colour ; claws brown. 



The female is larger than the male ; the top 

 of her head is dull rust colour, and her plumage 

 generally more tinged with brown. 



Situation and Locality. — In brambles, briars, 

 thick hedges, nettles, and gooseberry bushes, in 



