3l)"2 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



began. Inside this layer of dead grass stems was a 



neatly constructed nest, composed almost entirely of dry 

 moss and feathers, and lined throughout with feathers. 

 The usual clutch of eggs is six, and I could not hear of 

 any larger number being ever found. The eggs do not 

 differ in colour and appearance from those of the main- 

 land form, being pure white in ground colour, generally 

 more or less spotted with red, but at times without 

 markings; they are, however, considerably larger in size. 

 The comparative difference in size between these eggs and 

 those of the mainland wren, is well shown in a photograph 

 given by Mr. Kearton (2), as well as in the accompanying 

 plate taken from my own specimens. Three of my speci- 

 mens from St. Kilda measure respectively, *72in. by "55in., 

 •T4in. by "56in. and 'T8in. by *57in., as compared with a 

 measurement of '66in. by ^Ohi. for English wren's eggs. 

 The habits of the St. Kildan bird do not appear to differ 

 from those of its congener, but its note is louder, clearer 

 and more prolonged. The nesting season seems to be some- 

 what irregular, but the eggs appear to be usually laid 

 towards the end of May, or in some years the beginning 

 of June, though in mild seasons they are earlier than 

 this. In the two nests above referred to, which I have 

 every reason to believe were first layings, the one on 

 Boreray contained two fresh eggs on June 5th, so that the 

 bird had then only just begun to lay: whilst the one 

 which I found on Soay on June 9th, contained six eggs 

 which were perfectly fresh, and the bird had just com- 

 menced to sit. Last season, however, was a cold and 

 backward one, and, doubtless, the birds were later than 

 usual. 



As to the origin of this local race of wrens one can, of 

 course, only conjecture, but I should be disposed to think 

 that thev are the modified descendants of the birds which 



