Passeres 



25 



the five or six eggs are greenish with rufous spots, 

 usually placed in a ring. They may be found from 

 early April to August, so doubtless two broods are 

 reared in a season. The nest is well concealed and the 

 hen sits closely. Our bird is confined to Europe and 

 north Africa, but has several near relatives. 



Redstart 



The Redstart or Fire-taU (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) 

 is weU known throughout England and Scotland from 

 April to September, but is rare in Ireland and hardly 

 reaches our northern isles. It is by no means shy and 

 often very bold at the nest, while a bird of active ways 

 with grey back, white forehead, black face and throat, 

 chestnut breiast, and orange-red rump and tail, which 



