210 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The Redstart (Ruticilla phoenicurus) . 

 Many birds pause awhile after reaching this country before 

 engaging in nesting operations, but I am rather inclined to think 

 that the Redstart is not one of the number. I knew of a nest in 

 the hole of a tree one year that contained an egg so soon as the 

 first day of May. Early on the morning of May 5th a heavy 

 snowstorm raged for a couple of hours, and when, shortly after- 

 wards, I inspected the nest, I found the hole, which faced due 

 north, filled with snow, some of the eggs broken, the interior of 

 the nest disarranged, and the locality forsaken by the birds 

 themselves. 



I have found many nests of this species in the course of my 

 rambles, and noticed that, in addition to being a comparatively 

 early builder, an especially favourite haunt is the pollard or 

 " sally " trees — as they are termed in some parts of Hereford- 

 shire — that form so ornamental an appendage to the banks of 

 rivers. I am not quite sure that pollard willows do not more 

 correctly express the type of tree I have in my mind's eye ; 

 but willow, pollard, and " sally," all, I believe, indicate its 

 colloquial appellation in different parts of the country. In the 

 natural holes of such trees the Redstart loves to nidificate, 

 though suitable cavities in stone walls are equally resorted to. 



With regard to its eggs, I have found the clutches varying 

 from five to eight, but am of opinion that six, equally with seven, 

 is the more favoured number. They are smaller, and lighter in 

 shade than Hedge-Sparrows', and the shell is far more brittle. 

 Touching the colouring of the same, I find myself in distinct 

 opposition to the experience and opinion of Mr. C. Dixon, as 

 enunciated at page 138 of his ' Nests and Eggs of British 

 Birds.' The author writes : — " It is said that the eggs of this 

 species are ' occasionally speckled with reddish,' but surely this 

 must be a mistake." I have not been able to trace the statement 

 to which the author referred to above takes exception, but I can 

 unhesitatingly corroborate its accuracy. I have on more than 

 one occasion possessed myself of Redstarts' eggs with rufous 

 brown specklings on them, though others in the clutch have been 

 without any colouration, beyond, of course, that of the uniform 

 pale greenish-blue ground shade. 



Nevertheless, it is only a few summers ago that I found in 

 a hole in an ash- tree near to Rolleston Hall, the residence 



