480 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



rubeculaov E. r. melophilus ; E. r. witherbyi (Northern Atlas, Algeria) 

 breast reddish -orange as in E. r. melo'philus upper-parts olive-brown 

 as in E. r. rubecula ; E. r. atlas (Middle Atlas, Marocco) is darker 

 and more earth -coloured on npper-parts than last ; E. r. superbus 

 (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) iipj)er-parts rather darker olive-brown 

 than in E. r. rubecula, breast rich reddish-chestnut ; E. r. hyrcanus 

 (north Persia) upper-parts more rusty-brown than in E. r. melo- 

 philus and long upper tail-coverts and outer webs of tail-feathers 

 rust-coloured, breast nearly as deep red as E. r. superbus ; E. r. 

 caucasicus (Caucasus) breast and upper -parts much as in E. r. 

 rubecula but long upper tail-coverts and outer webs of tail-feathers 

 rust-coloured. Robins are distinguished from all other British 

 species by uniform brown uj)per-parts and tail and red throat and 

 breast. Juveniles are much like juvenile Nightingale but are more 

 buff on throat and breast, have not chestnut -brown tail-feathers 

 and have a different wing -formula. 



Field -CHARACTERS. — Dorsal surface lighter in tint and orange- 

 red of throat and breast rather less deep than in British Robin, 

 but these slight differences are barely perceptible in the field. 



Breeding-habits. — Not as a rule so confiding as British race and 

 in some districts breeds in deep forest among undergrowth and 

 far from houses or roads. Nest. — Similar to that of British form. 

 Eggs. — 5-7, similar to those of British form. Average size of 150 

 eggs, 19.3x14.8 mm. Breeding-season. — Varies according to lati- 

 tude ; in mountains of south Europe about April, but not till late 

 in May or June in north. 



Food. — According to Naumami most orders of insects are taken, as 

 with the British form ; also earthworms and small slugs. List of 

 fruits and berries taken is however much longer {Daphne, Prunus, 

 Rhamnus, Euonymus, Cornus, etc.), but records of seeds are few. 



Distribution. — Great Britain. — Passage-migrant and winter- 

 resident. Examples have now been identified from Shetlands, 

 Orkneys, Isle of May, Fife and Isle of Wight, spring and autumn ; 

 from east Ross., east Lothian, Tweed, Mull of Galloway, Northumber- 

 land, Yorks., Lines., Norfolk, Suffolk, and east Sussex coasts and 

 Channel Islands in autumn and from Northumbrian coast in Dec. 

 and Hants, in Jan. Small numbers winter in Fair Isle, other 

 northern isles and St. Kilda, and it is probable that it is this race 

 that occasionally visits other western isles and Isle of May at this 

 season. Doubtless also many winter on mainland, especially iu 

 north and in Ireland. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — Passage -migrants begin to arrive 

 northern isles third week Sept. and continue to do so at intervals 

 to mid or end Nov. and pass down east and west coasts. On west 



