336 INSECTIVORJE. 



familiar with man, is shy with all little birds, even those of 

 its own species, and also disposed to be pugnacious. It does 

 not appear that they battle for their mates ; they are too 

 wary and solitary even for that ; but when they have retired 

 to the breeding places, and begun their nests, they keep their 

 ground with much resolution. 



The nest is on the ground, at the roots of trees, and in 

 other concealed places, formed of the same materials as the 

 nest of the wren, but not so elaborately put together, and 

 without a dome to the nest. If, however, there is not a 

 natural concealment of foliage, the birds contrive to form an 

 artificial one of dry leaves, under which they may reach the 

 nest without the precise spot being known ; and when the 

 dam leaves her eggs, she sometimes covers them in the same 

 manner, so that the strewing of leaves mentioned in the old 

 ballad of " the babes in the wood," is true to the habits of 

 the redbreast. Redbreasts, like wrens, often nestle near 

 houses ; but, from the caution with which they approach and 

 leave the nest, it is rarely seen in proportion to the numbers 

 of the birds. The eggs are yellowish-grey, mottled with 

 chestnut colour, and rarely exceed seven. 



The redbreast is not only a very interesting bird, but it is 

 also an exceedingly useful one about gardens, orchards, and 

 shrubberies, and plantations near houses generally. The 

 young birds come first, because they are soonest in condition, 

 their plumage not being changed by a moult, but ripening 

 into its tints, as is the case with many young birds which 

 assume a new livery in the course of their first winter. 

 Thus they arrive in time to capture myriads of insects, 

 when these are alighting to deposit their eggs on the embryo 

 buds ; and they continue that labour as long as there is a 

 fly to be found ; and when the flies are gone, they attack the 

 eggs. It is highly probable that the common house-fly is 

 the first object that attracts them so near to houses, though 



