EGGS AND EGG-COLLECTING. 151 



times buffish, white ground speckled all over with dark or 

 olive brown and cinereous, which become more dense at 

 the larger end and form a zone. The eggs are at times 

 more numerously spotted than at others; then the markings 

 are not so large. 



THE POCHARD. 



THIS bird breeds on the borders of the meres in Holland, in 

 America, Russia, and Germany; and, though only a 

 visitor on our shores, has been said to breed at Scarborough 

 and in Norfolk. The position of its nest is similar to that 

 of the Wild Duck, also the materials of which it is 

 composed (dead grass and sedge, also down when the bird 

 has begun to sit). Its eggs number from seven even to 

 thirteen, but ten is the usual number laid, of a greenish- 

 buff colour. 



THE BLACK REDSTART. 



THIS well-known visitor breeds in many parts of Europe 

 and North Africa, building a nest very similar to that 

 of the Robin, composed chiefly of twigs, straw, dried 

 grass, &c., and situated in holes of walls and other positions 

 similar to the above-mentioned bird. Five is the usual 

 number of eggs ; however, four only, or as many as six, are 

 found, generally pure white in colour, occasionally tinged 

 faintly with brown. Cases are recorded where they have 

 been found spotted at the larger end with minute brown 

 spots. 



THE SPOTTED FLY-CATCHER. 



MANY curious positions for rearing a family have been 

 chosen by the Spotted Fly-catcher, but its nest is generally 



