i io THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



a flimsy, net-like structure, often placed amongst nettles 

 and other coarse herbage, amongst briars and brambles, 

 or in a dense whitethorn, woodbine, or other bush. It is 

 very deep for its size, beautifully rounded, and formed 

 almost entirely of dry grass-stalks and a few roots, 

 cemented with one or two cobwebs and cocoons, and lined 

 with horsehair. Both male and female assist in making 

 the nest, and from what I have repeatedly observed I 

 should say the cock does the greater part of the work. 

 When disturbed from the' nest the female slips quietly 

 off into the cover, with perhaps a warning tec, but the 

 male is more demonstrative, and scolds and puffs out 

 his plumage in alarmed annoyance. This Warbler is 

 not at all social during the nesting period. 



RANGE OF EGG COLOURATION AND MEASUREMENT : 

 The eggs of the Common Whitethroat are from four to 

 six in number. They vary in ground colour from pale 

 bluish-white to buffish-white and pale green, mottled, 

 blotched, and freckled with light brown and olive-brown, 

 and with underlying markings of pale pearly-brown and 

 violet-gray. On some eggs most of the markings are 

 underlying ones, and gray in tint ; whilst rarely spots 

 of dark brown occur. The distribution of the spots 

 varies in the usual manner ; on some eggs they are 

 evenly dispersed, on others they form a strongly-marked 

 zone, -or even a circular patch, palest round the margin. 

 Average measurement, 72 inch in length, by "55 inch in 

 breadth. Incubation, performed chiefly by the female, 

 lasts from eleven to thirteen days. 



DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS : Certain eggs of the 

 Whitethroat very closely resemble those of the Dartford 

 Warbler, but usually their clouded green or buff 

 appearance distinguishes them from those of the rarer 

 bird ; whilst the structure of the nest prevents confusion. 



