BLACKBIRD. 55 



elegantly covered over at the larger end with minute 

 reddish-brown specks, and likewise, but less thickly, 

 over the remainder the green shewing through; and 

 a second curiously marbled with irregular dashes and 

 specks of reddish brown over the green colour. Another 

 variety is similar to the last, except that the ground 

 colour is lighter, and the spots smaller. Another, in 

 his possession, clear spotless light blue, with the whole 

 of the larger end suffused with reddish brown. J. B. 

 Ellman, Esq., of Battel, relates in the 'Zoologist,' page 

 2180, that he had an egg in which the spots were at 

 the smaller end. Some of the eggs are much larger 

 than others, and they also vary much in colour and 

 markings, as too in shape, some being much more 

 round, and others much more oval, than others: in 

 some instances, the smaller end is rounded and obtuse. 



One is grounded with light green, marked with 

 small faint pale yellowish-red streak-like spots all over. 



A second is of a dark dull brownish green, spotted 

 with yellowish-red spots. 



A third is green, with rather large brown spots 

 all over. 



A fourth is of a pale green. 



A fifth is of a greyish white, with yellowish marbled 

 indistinct spots all over. 



A sixth is grounded with grey, mottled all over 

 with green. 



A seventh is of a dull bluish white, with a few 

 light yellowish-brown spots and dots. 



James Dalton, Esq., of Worcester College, Oxford, 

 has forwarded me two good varieties, one of very 

 small size, and the other light clear greenish blue, 

 like a Starling's. 



