EGGS AND EGG-COLLECTING. 159 



nest, but deposits its single egg on the bare ground in 

 some crevice or under loose rocks. The egg is of a pale 

 greenish-blue, or white tinged with greenish-blue, a little 

 spotted and veined, especially at the larger end, with rust- 

 colour or yellowish-brown. Sometimes the egg has no 

 spots or streaks, at others only indistinctly streaked or 

 veined at the large end. 



THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 



This bird makes a slight nest of bents and leaves upon the 

 ground in grass, corn, or clover fields ; however, instances 

 have been cited where it has been found at considerable 

 elevation. But this departure from the general rule we have 

 noticed with other birds on rare occasions. Her eggs 

 number from twelve to eighteen, of a yellow-grey or cream 

 colour, marked with red or cinnamon-brown. 



THE SANDERLING. 



The Sanderling is only a visitor to our shores, and breeds 

 in Arctic countries, such as Labrador, Greenland, &c. Its 

 nest is composed of grass and built upon the ground. The 

 eggs are four in number, of a huffish-olive ground-colour, 

 spotted and mottled plentifully with dark brown or black, 

 also with indistinct sub-markings of a greyish tinge. 



THE LONG-TAILED TiT. 

 Trees and bushes are the positions taken up by this skilled 

 little architect and builder, whose beautiful work wins the 

 admiration of all naturalists. It is oval in shape, and of 

 large size compared with the bird, strongly and compactly 

 put together with wool, lichens, and moss, the two former 

 of which adhere very closely when they once become 



