BRITISH BIRDS'# 
olive; its neck and break are of a fine deep red- 
difh orange ; a fpot of the fame colour marks its 
forehead ; its belly and vent are of a dull white m 9 
its legs are dufky. 
During the fummer the Redbreaft is rarely to 
be feen ; it retires to woods and thickets, where, 
with its mate, it prepares for the accommodation 
of its future family. Its neft is placed near the 
ground, by the roots of trees, in the moil conceal* 
ed fpot, and fometimes in old buildings ; it is con* 
ftru£ted of mofs, intermixed with hair and dried 
leaves, and lined with feathers : In order more 
effectually to conceal it, the bird covers its neft 
with leaves, leaving only a narrow winding en- 
trance under the heap. The female lays from 
five to nine eggs, of a dull white, marked with 
reddilh fpots. During the time of incubation, 
the cock fits at no great diftance, and makes the 
woods refound with his delightful warble ; he 
keenly chafes all the birds of his own fpecies, and 
drives them from his little fettlement ; for, as faith- 
ful as they are amorous, it has never been obfer- 
ved that two pairs of thefe birds were ever lodged 
in the fame bufh.* The Redbreaft prefers the 
thick Ihade, where there is water ; it feeds on in- 
fers and worms ; its delicacy in preparing the lat- 
ter is fomewhat remarkable It takes it by one 
end, in its beak, and beats it on the ground till the 
* Unum arbuftum non alit duos erithacos. 
