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KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



GARDEN WARBLER'S NEST. 



a few years ago. It breeds in woods, 

 clumps of trees, and bushes growing 

 beside streams, thick hedges, orchards, 

 and shrubberies. During June, 1910, I 

 found three pairs breeding close to each 

 other in a sheltered little ghyll amongst 

 the Westmorland Fells. The cover con- 

 sisted of ash, elm, birch, and other trees, 



with scattered clumps of thorn and brier 

 bushes, and plenty of sunlit spaces 

 between. I tried hard, but in vain, to 

 photograph two of the females on the 

 nest. They were inordinately shy, even 

 after the young ones had been hatched, 

 but their fledglings made good "sitters." 



The nest is made of straws, blades of 

 grass, and fibrous roots, with an inner 

 lining of horse hair. It is placed in a 

 thorn, brier, bramble, or other bush, but 

 may sometimes be found amongst ivy 

 or nettles. 



The eggs number from four to six, 

 five being a usual clutch according to 

 my experience. The ground colour varies 

 from white to greenish white or yellow 

 stone grey, blotched, spotted and 

 clouded with brown of various shades. 

 They are frequently indistinguishable 

 from those of the Blackcap Warbler. 



