128 THE OSPREY 



and the Black Sea, but does not breed in France or the Low Countries, and is 

 practically extinct in Denmark. Formerly it was common on the Danube, but is 

 now quite scarce. In Africa it is found on the Atlantic Isles and south to the 

 Cape Verde Isles on the west side, while on the east side it is common in the Red 

 Sea and the north-east coast of Africa. In Asia it is widely distributed, south to 

 Arabia, India and Ceylon, and east to Japan, China, Formosa and Hainan, while 

 alh'ed races are found in the Papuan Islands, Australia and North America. North 

 European birds migrate to tropical Africa in winter, but Mediterranean birds are 

 resident. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. A very rare resident, and a cold-weather visitor from 

 Northern Europe. The passages, of which the autumnal is the most marked, 

 occur chiefly in September and October, but sometimes lasting till 17th November, 

 and in May and early June (cf. Clarke, Studies in Bird Migration, 1912, vol. i. p. 

 135). Coasts and inland waters are both visited. The immigrants are immature 

 birds for the most part. [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Nests built in trees are often very bulky, and are 

 occupied year after year by the same birds if undisturbed. In Scotland most 

 of the nests were placed on low rocks or islets in lochs : in one or two cases on the 

 walls of old castles in similar situations. When placed in trees, a Scotch fir was 

 usually selected. On the Continent nests have been found on ledges of high cliffs, 

 and in the Red Sea district even on the ground or on the roof of an old hut, while 

 the North American birds have been known to build on the roof of a shed, on a 

 pole set up for that purpose, and frequently on the ground. The materials used 

 in building are sticks, mixed with all kinds of flotsam and jetsam, moss, turf, sea- 

 weed, bones, grass, wool, etc. (PI. LXIV. ) The share of the sexes in providing material 

 appears not to be recorded, but I believe that the male bird, at any rate, brings 

 boughs to the nest, and probably also the female. The eggs are usually two or three 

 in number, rarely four. On one occasion seven eggs (from which four young were 

 reared) were found in one nest in Rhode Island, N. America, but these were almost 

 certainly laid by two females. In appearance the eggs are very beautiful, the 

 ground-colour being white, or pale yellowish, blotched with deep red-brown or 

 purplish brown, and having underlying shellmarks of ashy violet. On an average 

 the eggs of the European form show darker, more chocolate-coloured and less 

 reddish markings than those of the American form. Average size of 100 eggs, 

 2-42x1-82 in. [61-6x46-3 mm.]. According to observations made on the 

 American race, the incubation period lasts about four weeks, 24 to 28 days, 



