7480 Birds. 



Materials. Principally moss and lichens, lined with feathers: 

 always of the same colour as the substance to which it is attached. 



Kggs, 6. White, tinged with yellow, and speckled at the larger end 

 with red-brown. 



Nuthatch, Sitta europeea. 



Situation. The hole of a decaying tree, especially apple trees : 

 this bird invariably plasters up the hole with clay, leaving a small 

 round opening. 



Materials. The dried dead leaves of oak, apple, elm, &c., very 

 carelessly arranged. 



Eggs, 5 — 7. Pure white, spotted with red-brown, and not easily 

 distinguished from those of the great titmouse, but they are generally 

 larger. " During incubation the female sits very close, and it is almost 

 impossible to drive her from the nest ; she defends it to the last ex- 

 tremity, striking with her beak and wings, and making at the same 

 time a hissing noise." — Mr. Selby. 



Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus. 



Situation and Materials. The cuckoo makes no nest, but lays its 

 eggs in the nests of other birds, particularly of the pied wagtail, 

 meadow pipit, yellowhammer and hedgesparrow. See a most inte- 

 resting account of a young cuckoo by Col. Newman : it was found in 

 a hedgesparrovv's nest, removed with the nest into a wicker cage, and 

 there tended by the hedgesparrows (Zool. 3424). 



Egg, 1, in a nest. Reddish gray, with a darker zone formed of 

 very numerous confluent spots at the largest part ; very variable. 



Kingfisher, Alcedo hispida. 



Situation. A hole in a river-bank, generally three or four feet 

 above the usual surface of the water : the hole excavated by the sand 

 martin is often adopted. 



Materials. The bones of fishes and nothing else (see Zool. 3578). 



Eggs, 6, 7. Nearly round, white and shining: when quite fresh 

 from the nest and unblown the yelk shows through the shell, and 

 gives a beautiful salmon-colour to the egg. 



Swallow, Hirundo rustica. 



Situation. In chimneys and under eaves of houses, outhouses, 

 churches and stables. Some very excellent observers have stated 

 that swallows do not commonly build in chimneys (see Zool. 147,354, 

 &c.) ; but this is certainly the general rule : how they can approve of 

 such a smoky atmosphere is a problem I am unable to solve. 



Materials. Mud or clay mixed with straw and hay, and lined with 

 feathers : a rather large, loosely-built nest, always open at top : it 



