THE BLUE-THEOATED WAKBLER 297 



Eedbreast had deserted the lower story, a bird of this Species — doubtless the same 

 individual — visited it daily, and was as often expelled. My friend, finding its expulsion 

 of no avail, for it continued to return, had recourse to a novel and rather comical 

 expedient. Having a short time before received a collection of stuffed Asiatic quadrupeds, 

 he selected the most fierce-looking carnivora, and placed them at the open window, wdiich 

 they nearly filled up, hoping that their formidable aspect might deter the bird from future 

 ingress. It was not, however, to be so frightened ' from its propriety,' but made its entree 

 as usual. The walls of the room, the tables in it, and nearly the entire floor, were 

 occupied by these stuffed quadrupeds. 



The perseverance of the Eobin was at length rewarded by a free permission to have 

 its own way, when, as if in defiance of the ruse that was practised against it, the place 

 chosen for the nest was the head of a shark which hung on the wall (the mouth being 

 gagged may have prevented it being the site) ; while the tail, &c. of an alligator stuffed, 

 served to screen it from observation. During the operation of forming this nest, the 

 Eedbreast did not in the least regard the presence of my friend ; but both man and bird 

 worked away within a few feet of each other. On the 1st of June I saw it seated on the 

 eggs, w^hich were five in number ; they were all productive, and the whole brood in due 

 time escaped in safety." 



The eggs of the Eedbreast are generally five in number, as is the case with most of 

 the song birds, and their colour is greyish white, covered with variously sized spots of pale 

 rusty red. The song of this bird is very sweet and pleasing ; and it is a pretty sight to 

 observe two or more Eedbreasts perched on different trees, and answering each other with 

 their musical cries. Whenever the Eedbreast perches on the top of a tree or othei' 

 elevated spot, and begins to sing merrily, it is an unfailing indication that the weather of 

 the coming day promises to be fair. The bird sings throughout the greater part of the 

 year, beginning early in spring, and continuing it very late into the autumn. Even 

 in the winter months, a bright sunny day is apt to excite the Eobin to perch upon a twig, 

 and pour forth a sweet though broken melody. 



While hopping and feeding about the ground, it is wonderful to see what large worms 

 and insects the little bird will devour. Should the worm be too large for him to swallow 

 entire, as indeed is mostly the case, he tosses it about with his beak, bangs it against the 

 ground, flings it over his head, jumps on it, and when he has thus mashed it into a pulp, 

 pulls it to bits, and devours it piecemeal. 



The colour of the male Eobin is bright oKve-brown on the back, orange-red on the 

 throat, chin, breast, forehead, and round the eye. A stripe of blue-grey runs round the 

 red, and the abdomen and lower part of the breast are white. The bill and eyes are 

 black. The female is coloured after the same manner, but the tints are not so vivid as in 

 her mate. The total length of the bird is nearly six inches, and its weight about half 

 an ounce. 



The Blue-theoated Waebler is very common in the southern parts of Europe, but is 

 extremely rare in the British Isles, only two or three specimens having been obtained in 

 England. 



It is a sweet songster, the notes having some resemblance to those of the whinchat, 

 but being more powerful. It prefers to haunt low-lying, marshy grounds, and places its 

 nest among tufts of the rank herbage that generally grows in such localities. The nest is 

 most carefully hidden, and cannot readily be discovered. The materials of which it is 

 composed are dried grass and mosses, and it is lined with grass of a finer character. The 

 eggs are greenish-blue, something like those of the redstart. The bird has a curious habit 

 of rising into the air while singing, spreading its tail widely, and sailing with quivering 

 wings and spread tail to a spot at some distance from that at which it rose. It begins its 

 song early in the morning, and does not cease until late in the evening, being in this 

 respect similar to the redbreast. 



The colour of this bird is rather varied, and is briefly as follows : The upper part of 

 the body is rich brown, a colour which extends to the two central tail-feathers, all the 

 other rectrices being bright chestnut at the basal hfilf, and black at the extremity. The 



