BRITISH BIRDS. 3 



Length about 9*00. Female a trifle smaller. Young, in 

 first plumage, mottled above with golden-buff. 



Common everywhere, north to Outer Hebrides, but rare 

 in extreme west of Ireland. Well-known song is often 

 commenced during last week of January, and continued 

 until summer ; also usually heard again during latter 

 months of year. Food : berries, insects, worms, and 

 especially snails, shells of which it breaks against a stone; 

 also a little fruit when ripe. When alarmed it flies off 

 nearly in a straight line, uttering a loud cheek, cheek, 

 cheek. Nest, with its neat lining of decayed wood and 

 dung, is known to almost everyone ; usually in bushes or 

 hedges, but I have found it at a height of 20 feet in trees. 

 Eggs : 4-6 ; seldom found before middle of March ; shell 

 glossy, greenish-blue, blotched and spotted with reddish- 

 brown and black ; they vaiy much in marking, also in 

 size, average being i '05 by '80. Two or three broods are 

 produced. I have found eggs as late as August 6th. 



3. Turdus iliaeus, Linn. REDWING. 



Hab. Siberia, West of the Yenesei, and westward 

 (above 54 N. lat.) to Scandinavia, the Fseroe Islands and 

 Iceland. In winter south as far as N. Africa, Persia and 

 N. India. - 



Male : upper plumage dark brown, with paler margins 

 to wing-feathers ; above eye a noticeable yellowish -white 

 streak ; lower parts white with a buff tinge and bold 

 streaks of dark brown upon throat, breast and sides 

 upper portion of latter, together with under wing-coverts, 

 being of a conspicuous orange-red colour ; bill dark 

 brown, base of lower mandible yellowish ; tarsi light 

 brown. Length 875. Female differs very little. 



There is no satisfactory evidence of its breeding with 

 us. Majority leave by third week in March, although a 



B 2 



