REDSTART. 271 



or behind a branch of a tree that is trained against a wall, 

 and sometimes in a hole on the ground even where there 

 has happened to be abundance of trees. A writer in the 

 Zoologist has furnished the following notice on a singular 

 locality for a Redstart's nest: "In the spring of 1841, I 

 noticed that when I went to a particular part of my 

 garden, a male Redstart always appeared much distressed, 

 which convinced me that its nest was close at hand, but I 

 could not find it. One day, having occasion for a com- 

 mon flower-pot, not of a very large size, I took one which 

 had been left inverted on a narrow path between two sea- 

 kale beds. On lifting it up, I discovered a nest with 

 five eggs, placed on the ground. I carefully replaced 

 the pot over the nest, inclining it a little towards the 

 south, so that when the sun was shining I could just dis- 

 cern the eggs through the hole at the bottom (now, from 

 its inverted position, the top) of the pot. On passing it 

 soon after, I found the hen bird was on the nest ; and she 

 succeeded in hatching and bringing up her brood ; paying 

 no regard to my looking down upon her as I passed by, if 

 I did not stop." 



The eggs are from four to six in number, sometimes 

 seven ; and in a few instances as many as eight have been 

 found. The egg is of a uniform greenish blue colour, 

 eight lines and a half long, and six lines and a half in 

 breadth. Two broods are sometimes produced in the season. 

 Mr. Jenyns says, the young of the first brood are fledged 

 by the second week in June. 



The Redstart as a species is naturally a shy and timid 

 bird ; but during the time the female is sitting, the male 

 exposes himself constantly, and may almost always be 

 seen in some conspicuous situation, not far from the nest. 

 At this season he sings early and late ; he has been heard 



