THE PEREGRINE FALCON. This noble bird builds her nest of sticks, and places it amongst rugged cliffs, chiefly round the coast. She lays three or four eggs of a red-brown colour, with darker blotches and clouds. THE CURLEW. Of slight construction, the nest of this bird is situated on moorland, heath, and marsh tracts of land; a few leaves or other dry materials, carelessly brought together among long grass, heather, or in a tuft of rushes, is all that appears. The eggs are four in number, pear-shaped, and generally placed with the smaller ends together, of an olive-green colour, blotched and spotted with darker green and dark brown. THE HOODED CROW. Hooded Crows lay four or five eggs of a grey-green, blotched and spotted with smoky brown. Their nests are built of sticks, heather, and wool, and are situated amongst rocks and sea-cliffs in Scotland, occasionally in trees, and are very similar to those of the Carrion Crow. THE COOT. The Coot lays from seven to ten eggs, of a dingy stone colour or dull buff, spotted and speckled with brown; the spots are less numerous but darker than the speckles. Her nest is situated in marshes and ponds, and is composed of decaying sedges, reeds, flags, and rushes; and, though of clumsy appearance, is very strong. It is built on willows that grow amongst the water, on tufts of rushes, and more commonly among reeds. It has been known to be dislodged from its position by a flood, and swept ashore whilst the bird was incubating without any apparent inconvenience to her. THE WATER RAIL. As might be expected, the nest of this bird is composed of sedges and flags, in somewhat considerable quantities, and is situated under thick cover in osier-beds and swamps in which alders grow, more especially in the southern counties of England. The hen lays from six to nine eggs of a creamy-white, with a few small reddish spots and dots. THE COMMON BUNTING. The Common Bunting lays from four to six eggs of a grey colour, tinged with red-brown, purple-brown, and ash-coloured spots or streaks. Her nest is built of straw and coarse hay outside, lined in the interior with fibrous roots, and sometimes with horsehair. It is situated amongst coarse grass near to or on the ground. THE YELLOW-HAMMER. This beautiful bird lays from three to six eggs of a dingy white tinged with purple, streaked and veined with purple-brown, the streak or vein generally terminating in a spot of the same colour. Her nest is situated on or near the ground, sheltered by overhanging grass, and is composed of dried or decayed leaves of grass round the exterior, followed by a layer of finer grass, and the interior lined with horsehair. [Illustration: EGGS. 1. Water Rail. 2. Common Bunting. 3. Yellow Hammer. 4. Gyr Falcon. 5. Jack Snipe. 6. Red-backed Shrike. 7. Chough. 8. Fieldfare. 9. Puffin. ] THE JACK SNIPE.