78 EGGS AND EGG-COLLECTING. 
speckled, and blotched with rich blackish-brown and pale 
reddish-brown and underlying grey markings. 
THE KITTIWAKE. 
Tue nest of the Kittiwake is situated on ledges of mari- 
time cliffs round our coast, and at the Farne Islands I 
have seen the bird occupying such a small corner that it 
was unable to sit properly on its eggs. The nest is made 
of seaweed and lined with dead grass. Its eggs number 
two, three, and rarely four, and vary from light greenish- 
blue to stone colour, or buffish-brown, blotched and spotted 
with varying shades of brown and grey. The markings 
sometimes form a zone round the larger end. 
THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 
On the ground, amongst heather or sedges, this bird makes 
its nest, in the eastern and northern counties and in Scot- 
land. It uses next to no materials, but such as are present 
consist of bits of dead reeds and leaves. Its eggs number 
from four to seven or eight, pure mee) unspotted, and 
oval in shape. 
& 
THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 
ALTHOUGH nowhere abundant, this bird breeds in suitable 
districts throughout England. Its nest is situated in a 
hole in the trunk or some large branch of a tree, and is 
