172 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



furze bushes, brackens, heather, or quite in the 

 open on commons, heaths, open, bramble-covered 

 woods and copses in nearly all suitable districts 

 throughout the British Isles, but not very numerous 

 anywhere. I have met with it most frequently 

 in the southern and eastern counties of England. 

 Our illustrations are from photographs taken on a 

 Suffolk common near Lowestoft. 



Materials. None, the eggs being laid on the 

 bare ground. 



Eggs. Two; ground-colour white, greyish-white, 

 or creamy-white, clouded, blotched, marbled, or 

 veined with dark brown, and underlying tints of 

 bluish lead-colour. They are subject to great 

 variation, and often closely resemble flint pebbles 

 one may pick up on the beach with chalk adher- 

 ing to them; in fact, I have on more than one 

 occasion been deceived by one of these pebbles 

 lying under a furze bush. Size about 1*25 by '87 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in May and 

 departing in September or October. Note, jar- 

 r-r-r-r-r and dee, dee, said to be uttered on taking 

 flight. Local and other names : Goatsucker, Dor- 

 hawk, Fen Owl, Nighthawk, Wheelbird, Jar Owl, 

 Churn Owl, Goat Owl. Sits closely, trusting to 

 the wonderful harmony of her plumage with sur- 

 rounding objects. 



NUTHATCH. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about six 

 inches ; bill moderately long, strong, nearly straight, 

 sharp at the tip, and bluish-black, except at the 

 base of the lower mandible, where it is whitish. 

 Irides hazel. Crown and all upper parts of body, 



