BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 419 



bits of decaying wood ; sometimes thickly studded 

 with bits of rotten wood. During droughty weather 

 the bird is occasionally unable to secure any suitable 

 materials wherefrom to make an inner lining, and 

 has in consequence to make a nest very similar to 

 that of the Common Blackbird. 



Eggs- Four to six, of a beautiful deep greenish- 

 blue, spotted with black. The spots sometimes 

 describe a well-defined ring round the larger end, 



FEMALE SONG THRUSH AT NEST WITH YOUNG. 



at others they are sparingly scattered over the 

 egg, and in rare cases are absent altogether. Very 

 variable in size. Average measurements about 1.05 

 by .8 in. (See Plate IV.) 



Time. February, March, April, May, June, and 

 July ; sometimes as late as August, and even 

 October. The bird may sometimes be seen bravely 

 covering her eggs when the ground has been thickly 

 mantled in snow. 



Remarks. Resident, subject to local movement, 

 and partially migratory. Notes : call, sik, sik, sik, 

 sik, siki, tsak, tsak. The song of the cock is well 



