their comparative Numbers and Distribution. 627 



only in the seasons of passage. A few pairs are scattered, in 

 summer, over the chalky downs; and I have occasionally 

 noticed some young ones in the Coombe district. 



The Stone Chat is not particularly abundant, considering 

 our extent of heathy land : the great majority of them mi- 

 grate ; not above one in a dozen, I believe, remaining through 

 the winter. 



The Whin Chat leaves us entirely in the brumal months, 

 though a few stay the winter through in Sussex. This is the 

 commonest species in summer, arriving in the middle of April, 

 which is the time the absentees return of the last species. In 

 all three the feathers undergo great seasonal changes. 



The Common Redstart arrives about the second week in 

 April, and departs in September. It is numerous on the 

 chalk and gravel ; but on the clayey soil of Penge Woods it 

 is extremely rare. 



The Robin is found abundantly, both in winter and sum- 

 mer, about human habitations, in the depths of woods, and in 

 the centre of extensive commons. In short, every where, turn 

 up a piece of ground, and you will be sure to see a robin. 

 In hard weather, I have noticed the stone chats hopping about 

 before the huts and cottages scattered over the heaths, and in 

 farm-yards contiguous to commons, with almost as much fa- 

 miliarity as a robin. 



The Nightingale arrives in vast numbers every season, 

 about the middle or third week of April : a large proportion 

 of them fall a sacrifice to the bird-catchers. This superb 

 songster is nowhere more plentiful than along the whole 

 valley of the Thames. 



The Blackcap Fauvet is every where excessively abundant. 

 Its melodious whistle is oftentimes the first to intimate that 

 our summer guests are arriving. It is also one of the latest 

 to depart in autumn. 



The Garden, or Olive-broxwi, Fauvet is much less common. 

 A few of these dulcet choristers arrive about the third week in 

 April ; but the great majority of them are not heard till the 

 middle of May. They are then by no means scarce in this 

 neighbourhood ; but they are far more abundant in Penge 

 Woods, over a clayey soil. 



The White-breasted Fauvet, or Lesser Wliitethroat, is a mode- 

 rately plentiful species, arriving generally about the middle or 

 third week in April, though I have known some to make 

 their appearance much sooner. Its habits are considerably 

 more arboreal than those of the whitethroat; equally so with 

 those of the olive-brown species : it is nowhere found but 

 where there are trees, from the higher branches of which its 



