148 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



that it looks like a ball of that beautiful moss. When in 

 holly trees, or among the more slender twigs of the 

 hawthorns, moss of brightest green is used instead ; 

 whilst later on in the spring, when the may bushes are 

 white with bloom, I have known the birds silver over 

 the outside of their nest with scraps of paper the whole 

 appearing like an unusually large mass of flowers. 

 Spiders' webs are largely used on the outside of the nest 

 when it is built on gray branches ; and sometimes bits of 

 bark are used, the material in every case being beautifully 

 felted together. The eggs are usually four or five in 

 number, pale bluish or greyish green spotted, and 

 occasionally streaked with dark brown and gray. The 

 spots are generally round, and many of them are darkest 

 in the centre. 



The Yellow Bunting is another bird that builds its 

 nest near the hedgerows. Like the Robin, this bird is a 

 ground breeder, rarely making its nest in a bush, though 

 I have found it sometimes in the branches of the gorse 

 or bramble. The usual situation is on the bank below 

 the hedge, under a bush or tuft of herbage. A little 

 hollow is first scraped in the ground, and then the foun- 

 dation of dry grass and moss is formed. This is neatly 

 lined with fine roots and a little hair, the whole forming 

 a very pretty structure, wonderfully smooth and com- 

 pact. It often remains finished for several days before 

 the first egg is laid. The eggs of this Bunting are very 



