32 COMMON TEEN. 



The eggs are variously of a pale blue, pale yellow, green, 

 brown, white, or light dull yellowish or stone-colour, blotted 

 and spotted with grey, dark reddish brown, and blackish 

 brown, three in number. They are laid from the latter end 

 of May to the beginning of July. 



The male bird assists th^ female in the task of sitting 

 during the day, she taking charge of the clutch at night, in 

 fine weather, however, the heat of the sun seems to be 

 thought sufficient warmth, and the bird leaves them to its 

 rays. Ten or twelve pairs of these birds breed together. 

 The young come forth in fifteen or sixteen days, and aro 

 able to fly when about three weeks old. The old ones 

 display much anxiety for their safety, and are very clamorous 

 when any one approaches their station, flying round, and 

 frequently even striking against them. 



Male; weight, over four ounces to four and a quarter; 

 length, one foot two inches, or two and a quarter to three. 

 Bill, coral red, the tip very sharp-pointed and black, the 

 extreme point yellowish white. Iris, dusky brownish black. 

 Forehead, crown, neck on the back, and nape, deep black, 

 ending in a queue ; in winter duller in tint ; sides of" the 

 head, white below the eyes, in winter the black becomes 

 dull. Chin and throat, white; breast, dull white, with, a 

 faint tinge of rose-colour. Back above, grey, on the lower 

 part white. 



The wings extend to the width of two feet six inches; 

 greater and lesser wing coverts, grey; the primaries have 

 the outside web of the first darker, and the inner lighter, 

 grey; the others with the outer webs and part of the inner 

 hoary grey, the remainder of the inner webs white, the 

 shafts white; secondaries and tertiaries, grey; greater and 

 lesser under wing coverts, white. The tail, which is long 

 and considerably forked, has the outer webs of the feathers 

 pale grey, increasing in depth of colour to the outermost 

 one, which is greyish black, the inner white; in flight the 

 feathers are often closed together so as to look like only 

 one; upper tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, bright coral 

 red; webs, coral red. 



The young are at first covered with mottled grey and 

 white down. In their first year's plumage the bill is reddish 

 yellow, the tip and upper ridge dark dusky brown. Forehead, 

 dull white; crown on the hinder part and neck on the back, 

 blackish with a hoary tint; chin, throat, and breast, white. 



