BLACK REDSTART. 
105 
l JVC ESSO RES. S YL VTA DM. 
DENTIROSTRES. 
BLACK REDSTART. 
Phcenicura tithys. 
PLATE XXIX. FIG. III. 
In its habits and the position and materials of its nest, 
this species very closely resembles the Common Redstart. 
When at Kissingen in Bavaria, I used to watch several 
of these birds, which had their nests in buildings in 
the environs of the town. It was towards the end of 
June when they had all young ones. Two pair of these 
had their nests in the walls of a salt manufactory, a 
building of great length for the purpose of evaporating- 
salt water. 
The nests were composed of moss, dry grass, and wool, 
lined with hair and feathers. 
Mr. W. R. Fisher, of Yarmouth, has kindly sent me the 
following memorandum relative to the Black Redstart:— 
“ I took the nest of this bird in Germany. It contained 
six eggs, which at first, from the transparency of the 
shell, were of a pink colour, but when blown, quite 
white. The nest was placed in the angle formed by 
two cross beams in the roof of an inhabited house, and 
was chiefly composed of worsted yarn, a quantity of 
which I found lying near the spot ; I observed that 
the bird remained all the winter, and have since been 
told that it returns annually to the same place to breed.” 
The Black Redstart lays five or six eggs, which, when 
blown, are of a purer white than those of any other bird 
which I have seen. 
