NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
433 
are its principal British localities ; it has been known to breed in 
Yorkshii e and Northumberland. It forms its nest on the sea-coast, 
where few sticks can be obtained, of seaweed, lined with wool, 
grass, and hair, but in other localities forms it of sticks, with 
the same lining. The eggs are commonly larger than those of 
the rook ; it lays from four to live eggs in April. 
They are migratory birds, in the autumn they make inland 
and follow the ploughs. 
Eedbkeast {Sylvia rubecula), p. 170.—'' This bird," writes Mr. 
Napier, " forms a firm, compact nest of moss and leaves, which it 
lines with hair of the horse or cow ; it is rather deep, and is 
exceedingly comfortable ; it is placed in a variety of situations, 
as under sea- kale or flower-pots in gardens, or in old walls; it 
loves to build among the haunts of man, and often selects 
the most singular situations for this purpose. The eggs of 
the robin are from four to seven in numbei ; they have most 
commonly a white ground, with brown ochre spots, which vary 
much in size and distribution. Some are almost entirely covered 
with minute indistinct spots, with a few more clearly defined 
at the large end. Others have a zone of large ochre and ash 
spots at the large end. A third is of a pale yellowish-white 
colour, without spots, and a fourth is pure white, and spot- 
less. Eobins' eggs may be found which nearly resemble in 
markings some varieties of those of the blackcap, garden- 
warbler, red-backed shrike, greenfinch, nuthatch, and grey 
wagtail." 
Eobins are kept by many people in London : they are free 
singers in cages, and will live for years. In the winter they 
come to towns and houses. In the spring they entirely dis- 
appear to breed in the woods. Like the hedgesparrow, the 
robins go to nest very early in the spring ; the robins pair about 
the middle of Februptry, no matter how bad the weather may be. 
There is much truth in the story of birds pairing at Valentine's 
Day. About this time the following British birds are to be 
found in pairs : blackbirds, thrushes, hedge-sparrows, common 
wrens, long-tail titmouse, &c. In the case of the long- tail tit- 
mouse, the old birds and the young dues keep together all the 
winter, but about the middle of February, the happy family 
party breaks up, and each looks out for its mate. 
It is a rule among most canary bird-dealers to " pair up " their 
birds actually on Valentine's Day. 
Eedstart, p. 173. — The Eedstart {S. 2)hmnic'ura) is a summer 
visitor to Britain, but is not universally distributed. It breeds in 
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