REDSTART. 261 



sometimes in a hole on the ground even where there has 

 happened to he abundance of trees. A writer in the Zoolo- 

 gist 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 con- 

 vinced me that its nest was close at hand, hut I could not 

 find it. One day, having occasion for a common 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 discern 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 bring- 

 ing 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 sing- 

 ing after ten o'clock at night, and at three in the following 

 morning. 



