42 



Con- In Sweden it occurs in the south, and occasionally as far north as 



Europe. Dalame and Westerbotten; it is also said to have bred in Kalmar Ian 

 50 years ago. On the other hand it is not uncommon over a great part 

 of south eastern Finland, from Lojo in the south-west to Idensalmi (about 

 63f° N. lat.) and eastward to Onega, but does not appear to be found 

 north of lat. 60° in east Russia. A few pairs nest in the Danish islands 

 and Schleswig Holstein, and it is common in the wooded districts of France, 

 the Low Countries, N. Germany, Austro-Hungary and Russia. In the 

 mountainous parts of Middle Europe it is less numerous, and in Switzer- 

 land does not as a rule breed above 3000 ft. In the Iberian peninsula it 

 becomes scarce in the south; and though plentiful in north Italy, is only 

 found nesting in wooded mountains in the southern provinces, and it is 

 doubtful whether it breeds at all in Sardinia. In the Balkan peninsula 

 it is generally distributed except in the south, but some breed on Corfu. 

 In the Caucasus it nests, according to Radde, up to 6000 ft. 

 Nest. The very remarkable nest is to be found in many kinds of trees, 



preferably oaks or planes, but occasionally elm, white poplar, alder, apple, 

 birch or pine, not only on the outskirts of woods and in small plantations, 

 but also in wooded gardens, parks etc., even in large towns. It is usually 

 built far out on a horizontal bough at a considerable distance from the 

 main stem, often at a height of 10 to 30 or even 60 ft. from the ground, 

 but sometimes, though less commonly, within 6 ft. of it.* The nest is 

 always placed at the fork of a bough, and is slung like a cradle between 

 the two branches, to each of which it is firmly attached, close to the angle. 

 The materials consist of grass stems, leaves of sedges and grass, roots, 

 strips of bark and wool, intermixed with a little moss and sometimes strips 

 of paper, or feathers, and is smoothly lined with flowering heads of grasses. 

 Approximate size: diameter 4| — 5| in., depth 3f — 51- in. When placed 

 high the nest is often difficult to see, and even harder to get at, without 

 sawing off the bough. 

 Eggs. Usually 4 in number, sometimes 5. The ground colour varies from 



pure white to a warm creamy tone, rather sparsely marked with spots and 

 a few fine specks of very deep purplish brown, almost black. Round the 

 larger spots are generally faint traces of paler purple red, forming a slight 

 penumbra. As a rule most spots are congregated towards the large end. 

 Occasionally eggs are met with almost without markings, while others 

 have one or two big blotches. The shell is tolerably glossy, but when 

 closely examined shows numerous fine irregular ridges running transversely 

 and a few longritudinal grooves. 



* A iiest was found in Silesia by Prof. Augustin only 3 ft. from the 

 ffround. 



