152 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



round stems, and is lined with horsehair and a few fine 

 roots. It is a deep structure, beautifully rounded, and 

 when held up to the light, looks like some miniature 

 network of rods and girders, combining great strength 

 with slenderness. The eggs are four or five in number, 

 greenish-white in ground colour, spotted and speckled 

 with olive-green and gray, and sometimes streaked with 

 dark-brown. The markings on these eggs are mostly 

 confined to a zone or band round the larger end. 



About the same time that the Whitethroat is breeding 

 we are pretty sure to meet with the nest of the Green- 

 finch. Although most of the Greenfinches retire to 

 shrubberies to breed, many do so in the hedgerow 

 whitethorns, and amongst the roses and brambles. 

 There is a wild rustic beauty about the nest of this bird 

 which few others possess. The outer structure is formed 

 of moss and dry grass, a few slender twigs being inter- 

 woven round the rim to give strength to the nest : the 

 inside is lined with wool, hair and feathers. It is rather 

 shallow, but well and compactly put together. I have 

 known late nests of this bird made externally entirely 

 of new-mown hay and lined with feathers. The eggs 

 are from four to six in number, pure white spotted and 

 blotched with reddish-brown and gray. Before quitting 

 the hedgerows we will take a peep at one more nest which 

 is often found in them, especially near to streams, and 

 that belongs to the Sedge Warbler. It is formed of 



