164 CURIOUS VARIETIES OF BIRDS. 



same tree. There is an old oak tree near a place 

 at which I was residing, the heart of which is com- 

 pletely decayed. On the topmost branches a pair 

 of sparrow-hawks had made them a nest, which, 

 at the time I examined it, contained four eggs. 

 In a hollow of the tree, near the top, was a jack- 

 daw's nest, with five young ones. A little lower, 

 a woodpecker had another, with five eggs in it. 

 Still lower, was a nuthatch's nest, with seven young 

 ones. And near the foot of the tree, in one of the 

 crevices of the bark, which was overgrown with 

 ivy, a pair of wrens had made another nest, in 

 which were several eggs. These birds seemed to 

 live in perfect harmony, as I watched them fre- 

 quently. 



" I have been so fortunate as to find a red- 

 wing's nest, the only instance I have heard of in 

 this country. Only one bird appeared to attend 

 the nest, which contained but one egg. This so- 

 litary bird had, probably, from some cause or other, 

 been unable to attend its congeners in their annual 

 flight from this country. It was afterwards shot, 

 and is now, with the egg, in my possession. 



" I have lately had some curious varieties of 

 birds sent to me, viz. a white thrush, a greenfinch 

 quite white, except a slight green blush on the 

 breast and wings ; a sparrow of a bright dun colour, 

 and another with white wings and tail. A man, 

 also, at Bath, caught a white bullfinch." 



