THE SPECIES. 95 



The Corn Bunting — Dimensions, Fd ; Eggs, Fn— is one of our uncommon, but widely 

 distributed and partially migrating residents. It has a whirring, slightly undulating flight, 

 with the legs dangling until it gets fairly under way ; and on the ground it both hops and 

 runs. Its note is a tees-ees-ees," with a peculiar skirl described as resembling a jingling 

 chain, the alarm being " tzit-kaak." The sexes are alike in plumage, and in the winter both 

 are darker above and buffer below. The nest is generally on or near the ground, often in tb« 

 middle of a field, among coarse grass or young corn. It is a loose affair of straw and grass, 

 with perhaps a little moss, lined with roots and hair, and contains four, five, or six eggs. 



Erithacua. Plate ii. TURDINM (Passeridae). 



21. rubecula^ 5I in. RoBiN. Olive brown above ; throat and upper 



breast chestnut red ; lower breast white. 

 The Robin — Dimensions, Op ; Eggs, Dg — is the most popular of British birds. According 

 to a French author, "this beautiful songster is very good with bread crumbs " ; but it is not 

 cooked in this country. The song is a mellow *' yoop ! tirry HI, tirry lil, tirry lirry lirry HI," 

 and is heard till very late in the evening, the Robin being one of the last birds to go to bed, 

 as he is one of the earliest to get up. His flight is rapid and straight from bush to bush. 

 The sexes are aHke in plumage. The nest is rather large, with the cup out of the centre ; 

 it is found in many strange positions, but oftenest in a hole or on the ground, under ivy ; it is 

 made of dead leaves, grass, and moss, lined with rootlets, hair, feathers, and now and then a 

 little wool. The eggs are from five to seven in number. 



Eudromias. Plate xxvi. CHARADRIIDM. 



293. moriiiellus, 9 in. Dotterel. Black crown ; white eye stripe ; 

 rufous breast ; black below ; grey axillaries. 



The Dotterel — Dimensions, le ; Eggs, Kt — has its numbers reinforced in spring and 

 autumn by migrants to and from the north. It has a hurried sort of flight, and its call is the 

 " dot, dote," which gives it its name. The female is larger than the male, and much more 

 brilliantly marked, especially below. The eggs are laid on the ground on some unfrequented 

 moor ; there are generally three of them, but occasionally four have been found, as one would 

 expect from their shape. 



FALCONIDM, 



10 in. Merlin. Above slaty blue and black ; below 

 rufous, with blackish brown streaks ; throat white ; 

 tail with a broad black band. 



11 in. Red-focted Falcon. Dark grey above; pale 

 grey below ; tail black ; thighs chestnut ; legs red ; 

 feet red ; claws yellowish white, 



12 in. Lesser Kestrel. Head and tail grey ; back un- 

 spotted chestnut ; claws white. 



13 in. Hobby. Above bluish black ; black moustache ; 

 buff below, with black stripes ; thighs reddish ; two 



middle tail feathers black. 

 ig6. tinnunculus, 14 in. Kestrel. Head and tail slaty grey ; back chest- 

 nut, spotted with black ; legs yellow ; claws black, 

 192. peregri?itis, 17 in. Peregrine Falcon. Bluish grey above ; black 



moustache ; buffish, barred with brown, below ; 



crown black. 

 109. gyr/alco, 21 in. Gyr Falcon. Grey above ; whitish below ; crown 



slate-coloured ; moustache slate-coloured ; breast 



streaked with black ; tail barred with slate. 

 190. candicans^ 'li in, Greenland Falcon. Bill yellowish white ; 



plumage white, with dark brown markings above ; 



white below ; tail white. 

 igt. islandus, 23 in. ICELAND FALCON. Brownish grey above ; whitish 



below; head white, but finely streaked ; throat white ; 



flanks barred ; breast spotted ; bill blue. 

 The Merlin — Dimensions, Ja; Eggs, Jn — is the smallest of our Falcons. It can be 

 recognised on the wing by its tail being longer than the Hobby's in proportion to its body, 

 and by its body being bulkier. Its flight is low and gliding, and rather slow, but persistent. 



