414 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Situation and Locality. Generally near the top 

 of a tree, where the trunk ends and two or three 

 strong branches spring from it, or on a strong 

 bough close to the trunk, at varying heights. 

 I have sometimes found it only three feet from 

 the ground, and at others as many as forty. In 

 orchards, large gardens, woods, plantations, parks, 

 and tree-fringed streams all over the United King- 

 dom. It is a brave bird, and I have seen it sitting 

 on its eggs when one side of the tree has been plas- 

 tered white with wind-driven snow. 



Materials. Slender twigs, grass stems, wool, 

 moss, and mud, with an inner lining of fine dry 

 grass. The wool often hangs down from the sides 

 of the nest in long conspicuous rags. On one occa- 

 sion I found, quite by accident, a nest of this species 

 adorned with fresh ivy leaves in such a way as to 

 make it harmonise with the green moss-clad branch 

 upon which it rested. On the other hand, I have 

 seen a nest adorned with large white feathers from 

 a barndoor fowl's wing in such a way as to make 

 the whole structure look most conspicuous. 



Eggs. Four to six, according to some authori- 

 ties. Mr. Dixon, however, says never more than 

 four. Mr. Seebohm says they very rarely exceed 

 four, and in but very few cases are less. Messrs. 

 Dresser and Sharpe say the number is usually 

 five, sometimes four ; Waterton says generally 

 five ; Macgillivray, usually four, or from three to 

 five. I have certainly heard of more than four ; 

 but although I have examined a goodly number of 

 nests, I personally never saw more, except on one 

 occasion near to Stalham in Norfolk. They vary in 

 colour, some being greyish-green with underlying 

 markings of grey, and blotches and spots of reddish- 



