BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 487 



Materials. Dead grass and moss, with an inner 

 lining of horsehair. 



Eggs. Four to six, of a beautiful greenish-blue, 

 sparingly speckled round the larger end with minute 

 spots of reddish-brown. They are more attenuated, 

 of a deeper blue, and less richly and clearly marked 

 than the eggs of the Stonechat. The appearance 

 of the parent birds, which are not often met with 

 close together, will, however, readily settle any 

 doubts. Size about .76 by .57 in. (See Plate IV.) 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in April and 

 departing in September or October. Notes : u-tac. 

 Local and other names : Furze Chat, Grass Chat. 

 Sits lightly, and, as before mentioned, is extremely 

 wary. I detected the one figured opposite by 

 watching through my field-glasses the female go on 

 to her nest, and then directing my brother to the 

 spot by signs. 



WHITETHROAT. 



(Sylvia cinerea?) 

 Order PASSERES ; Family SYLVIID^E (WARBLERS). 



Description of Parent 

 Birds. Length about 

 five and a half inches ; 

 bill somewhat short, 

 straight, and brown, 

 lighter towards the 

 base of the under man- 

 dible. Irides yellowish. 

 The whole of the upper- 

 parts are brown, grey- 

 ish on the head and 



WHITETHROAT ON NEST. 



