ex. 



PIia^NICURA RUTICILLA. (Swains.) 



RfDSTAKT, RliDTAIL, FlRETAII- 



The Redstart is amongst the most familiar of our summer 

 visitants, frequenting our towns and villages, and building its 

 nest in some hole in the garden wall, or the hollow of some 

 tree. There its oft repeated and monotonous cry may be 

 heard throughout the day, uttered in a tone so melancholy, 

 and with such apparent anxiety and distress, that one is led 

 to expect some cat prowling near ; and such is too frequently 

 the case, and numerous are the broods of this and others of 

 our friends, which fall an easy prey to this enemy of their race. 



The nest of the Redstart is composed chiefly of moss, and 

 is lined with hair and feathers. In two nests, sent me by my 

 kind friend, the Rev. W. D. Fox, the difference was so great, 

 that I will describe them separately. 



One taken from a hole in a tree, was formed of moss, grass, 

 and a few dry leaves, lined with a quantity of wool, mixed 

 with fine grass and hair. 



The other, from a wall, was chiefly of dry grass, moss, and 

 wool, with finer grasses and hair towards the inside, and lined 

 with a profusion of white feathers. The eggs, which are from 

 five to eight in number, are smaller than those of the Hedge 

 Sparrow ; of a more slender and delicate fonn ; and are usu- 

 ally of a lighter blue. Fig. 1. 



