242 



BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



one or two counties (Inverness-shire, Ross-shire, 

 and Galloway), and I regret to state that at the 

 time of revising this work (1906) two of the eyries 

 I have known for a long time are now quite deserted. 

 Materials. Sticks, twigs, turf, moss, and grass. 

 The structure is of a huge character, and the top 

 almost flat. The same site is used again and again 

 with the utmost regularity. 



OSPREYS AT HOME ON A HIGHLAND LOCH. 



Eggs. Two to four, generally three ; very vari- 

 able and beautiful. The ground-colour ranges from 

 white to dull yellowish-white, handsomely marked 

 with rich reddish-brown and light brownish-grey. 

 Some examples are suffused with bright orange-red 

 or purple. The blotches and spots are sometimes 

 very thickly distributed, at others they form a zone 

 round the larger end or are irregularly scattered 

 over the entire surface of the egg. The eggs also 

 vary considerably in size. Average about 2.3 by 

 1.85 in. (See Plate VI.) 



Time. May and June. 



