46 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



only, and lined, as were the others with hair. 



The second nest had moss mixed with the grass, like the first." 



I have eggs of the Yellow-Hammer which might easily be mistaken for 

 those of the Black Redstart; they are small for the species, being evidently 

 deposited by a young bird, and are pure white. Unless the female was distinctly 

 identified on the nest before she slipped away, it is possible that she may have 

 belonged to quite another species : white eggs occur now and again with many 

 birds, and it is probable that the same hen would lay white eggs year after year. 



The Black Redstart in breeding plumage has the upper parts slate-greyish, 

 the rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut; wings brown, with the secondaries 

 broadly bordered with white on their outer webs ; tail chestnut, with the two 

 central feathers brown ; forehead, face, chin, throat, breast, axillaries and under 

 wing coverts black; belly and flanks buff; bill black, feet blackish, iris brown. 



The female is much diiller than the male, being smoky brown above and 

 slightly paler below, the white margins to the secondaries sordid, the chestnut of 

 rump and tail suffused with brownish. Nestlings are spotted above and below, 

 but as soon as they acquire their adult plumage they resemble the female ; their 

 full colouring not being attained until the second year. 



In its habits the Black Redstart is very like the Robin, but especially in its 

 frequent characteristic stoop, accompanied by an upward jerk of the tail, and its 

 alarm note tek, tek, tek. It appears to court the neighbourhood of mankind, 

 frequenting farmyards, orchards and gardens ; and, as recorded by Howard 

 Saunders, "Even in London one frequented the grounds of the Natural History 

 Museum, South Kensington, from November 1885 until the snow-fall of January 

 6th, 1886." 



The nest of the Black Redstart is usually placed, like that of the commoner 

 species, in holes in walls or clefts of rocks, but at other times on rafters in sheds 

 and outhouses, or niches and shelves in old castles or summer houses. No 

 particular effort is made to conceal it. The structure itself is externally rough 

 and loose, like that of the Robin; being composed of twigs, bents, rootlets and 

 moss ; the lining is neat and well rounded, of hair and sometimes feathers and 

 cobwebs. The eggs number from four to seven, but usually five ; they are as a 

 rule pure glossy white, occasionally with a faint bluish tinge and more rarely still 

 slightly brownish or minutely speckled at the larger end with brown. 



Now, although my egg, when exhibited, was at once pronounced that of the 

 Black Redstart, it was, unfortunately, found in a nest built in a hollow tree, 

 and it is believed that this species seldom, if ever, builds in such a situation. 

 On the other hand there is no reason why some of the considerable numbers 



