BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 117 



positions selected for their accommodation. Straws, 

 fibrous roots, moss, hair, feathers, rabbits' down, 

 and cobwebs, somewhat loosely put together, as a 

 rule, but occasionally I have come across a very 

 compact little structure. 



Eggs. Four to six, generally five, varying con- 

 siderably in coloration. The ground-colour ranges 

 from grey to light green, the markings running 

 through various shades of faint red or reddish- 

 brown. Sometimes they are almost entirely absent, 

 at others they form a belt round the larger end, and 

 I have met with eggs with large, bright rust-red 

 spots thickly distributed over the entire surface. 

 Size about .75 by .57 in. (See Plate V.) 



Time. May, June, and July. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in the early part 

 of May and leaving in September and October. 

 Notes : a weak chirp and a harsh call-note. Local 

 and other names : Beam-bird, Rafter, Bee-bird, 

 Chanchider, Cherry - sucker, Bee - eater, Post-bird, 

 Cherry-chopper. Sits closely, and flies away with- 

 out demonstration when disturbed. 



SPOTTED FLYCATCHER AT NEST 



