FANTAIL WAKliLEK. 
91 
the “European Tailor Bird/’ from the manner in which 
it sews up the materials of its nest: he declares also 
that a knot was found by Herr V. Koenig at the be- 
ginning of the thread! The narrow entrance is either 
on the side or in the top, so that the nest has the 
form of a bag. In the inside he says it is lined with 
long grass leaves, and the eggs are live or six, in size 
between our Common Wren and Goldcrest; they have 
a very soft shining shell, and are either blue green, 
like the Bedstart, or paler, like those of the Pied 
Flycatcher; or they are sometimes of a shining white 
only. 
M. Moquin-Tandon has kindly sent me drawings of 
three varieties of the egg, from which my figures are 
taken: they were aecompanied by the following remarks: 
— “Sylvia cisticola, Savi, from the south of France. 
This bird’s very remarkable nest is now well known, 
and has been drawn many times, — those of Schinz 
and Boux are sufficiently exact. I have lately given 
a detailed description of this charming bird. It is well 
known that the bird sews its nest to a tuft of carices 
or grasses. Its form is that of an oblong purse, which 
opens obliquely towards the top. It lays four or five, 
and sometimes six, whitish eggs, which sometimes ap- 
proach to very clear blue, (A,) and sometimes a rosy 
tint, (B.) INI. Le Brun sent me one variety much 
darker.” 
The male and female specimens sent me by M. E. 
Verreaux, have the upper parts strongly marked with 
black in the centre of the feathers, with a shade of 
russet and grey on the borders; head and neck 
varied with the same colours, and the rump red; throat 
and middle of the belly white; the croji, sides of neck, 
flanks, and under tail coverts russet yellow. AFings 
