254 BRITISH BIRDS. 



and coverts of the wings are bright reddish brown, 

 the middle of the feathers somewhat darker than 

 the rest of the webs ; the first quill feather is black, 

 the eight next to it are the same, but white half 

 their length on both the exterior and interior 

 edges, the latter of which form a stripe of that 

 colour when the wing is closed. The tail is 

 forked; the two middle feathers are narrow and 

 pointed towards the tip, and wholly black; the 

 rest are also black, but edged with white on both 

 the outer and inner edges; the legs are dull brown. 

 The female is without the red on her head and 

 breast; in other respects her plumage is nearly 

 the same as that of the male, but much less 

 brilliant. 



This charming bird is very well known, being 

 common in every part of Europe. In a wild state 

 it wastes the sweetness of its song on "the desert 

 air," amidst "the blossomed furze, unprofitably 

 gay," on the fells or heathy wastes which it al- 

 most constantly inhabits. There they build and 

 rear their young, concealed in the prickly close 

 branches of the whin. The nest is composed of 

 the stems of dry grass, mixed with a little moss, 

 and lined with horse hair. The female commonly 

 lays five eggs ; they are white, with a zone of 

 freckles and small brown spots near the thicker 

 end; she breeds generally twice in the year. 



