227 

 NOTES ON THE BLACK REDSTART, {PRCENIGURA TITHYS.) 



BY JOHN GATCOMBE, ESQ. 



The Black Redstart is a regular winter visitant to the neighbourhood of 

 Plymouth, arriving generally the first week in November, and departing at 

 the end of March, or very early in April. They frequent the cliffs and rocks 

 along the coast above high water mark, and quarries in the vicinity of the 

 sea: ramparts of fortresses and stone buildings of any kind appear attractive 

 to them. They are sometimes seen in churchyards, flitting about on the tomb- 

 stones, and making short excursions in the air after insects, much in the 

 manner of the Flycatchers. They are also particularly partial to the vicinity 

 of old stone arches and caverns, where they will immediately hide when 

 pursued, and remain concealed for a length of time. 



During the first week of their arrival these birds are rather plentiful, but 

 after that time they disperse, though I have observed that a favourite locality is 

 seldom without its Blackstart during the winter; and should one be killed 

 another takes its place in a few days. They appear very liable to be caught 

 in traps, for I have, on several occasions, obtained them with their tails and 

 wings clipped apparently with a pair of scissors; in one instance I shot one 

 with its tail cut short, and a piece of red worsted tied round its leg. The 

 majority of birds that visit us are the young of the year, old males being 

 very scarce and shy. In their actions, these birds, in many respects, resemble 

 both the Robin and Wheatear. 



In plumage these birds vary considerably: I have obtained them with black 

 breasts, yet without a shade of white on the tertials; then again with the 

 white on the wings very strong, and not a sign of black on the breast: this 

 appears to me very strange, as the black almost invariably appears before the 

 white. The young males of the year are easily distinguished from the 

 females, by being of a more uniform slate grey, without the brown tinge that 

 is observable in the female. It appears that the males are several years in 

 arriving at their full plumage; in very old birds the back is almost as dark 

 as the breast. 



Wyndham Place, PlymoidJi, October, 1851. 



ON THE COMMON DUNG BEETLE, {BOLBOCERAS 

 MOBILICOBNIS.) 



BY MR. MICHAEL WESTCOTT. 



The extraordinary muscular power of the above Beetle was wonderfully 

 exhibited to me the other evening. Having caught two of these Beetles, I 

 wrapped them up in my pocket-handkerchief, and by the time I reached home 

 they had eaten several large holes in the handkerchief. It being late I placed 

 them under two high brass candlesticks, about three-quarters of a pound each. 



