154 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



pairs for life, and makes its home in one chosen spot 

 season after season, although building a new nest each 

 successive year. The nests of this species that I have 

 seen were made in crevices of the rough walls, in heaps 

 of stones, and under the turf and stone roofs of the 

 "cleats." ; The nest very closely resembles that of the 

 Common Wren, being made on precisely the same 

 model, globular, with a small hole at the front, near 

 the top, or in the side. It is composed almost entirely 

 of moss, but round the entrance-hole, especially just 

 below it, a few dry grass-stalks are interwoven, and is 

 lined profusely with feathers and a little horsehair, the 

 latter being pulled from the numerous Puffin snares set 

 in the cliffs. The birds were remarkably tame at the 

 nest, going in and out as I stood watching them. The 

 female sits closely, often allowing herself to be lifted 

 from the eggs. 



RANGE OF EGG COLOURATION AND MEASUREMENT : 

 The eggs of the St. Kilda Wren are six in number. 

 They are pure white in ground colour, profusely spotted, 

 especially round the larger end, with brownish-red, and 

 a few underlying markings of paler and grayer brown. 

 Some varieties are almost devoid of markings ; others 

 have the markings in a circular mass at the end. 

 Average measurement, 72 inch in length, by '57 inch in 

 breadth. Incubation, performed chiefly by the female, 

 lasts fourteen days. 



DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS : It is impossible to give 

 any character that will distinguish the eggs of this 

 sub-species, either from those of its near ally (but on an 

 average they are a little larger), or from those of the 

 Great Titmouse, Nuthatch, etc. The locality is a safe 

 guide to their correct identification and authentication, 

 as no other species breeds on St. Kilda whose eggs can 

 be confused with them. 



