TTIE STOXECriAT. 



This is a bird of the dry, but not the most barren nioors, being found only wliere 

 there are thick brakes of furze, or other close bushes which do not rise high above tlie 

 surface, but aiford concealment to the nests, and also to the birds themselves, wlio ihul 

 there warm and sheltered habitations, and probably food, when tlie grotuid is covered, 

 and the sheltering bush nearly buried willi sno\N-. 



Arrayed in its summer plumage, the stonechat is a AX'ry beautiful bird, compact in its 

 form, and rich, though not gaudy, in its hues. Tlie whole length of this bird is five 

 inches and a quarter. The adult male has a black beak ; the irides dark bi'own ; the 

 head, neck, and back nearly bhuli ; llie wing-coverts of the testials wliite, but partly hid 

 by the other coverts, which are blatkisli-ln-own, edged with brown of ligliti'r lint ; the 

 upper tail-coverts white ; and the tail featheis nearly black. The cliin and throat are 

 black ; the sides of the neck to the wing white ; the breast is a rich cliestnut, becoming 

 lighter on the belly ; the inidcr surface of the (piill-fcathers lead gray, edged wit li dull 

 white; the legs, toes, and claws black. The adult female lias the I'eatliers of the upper 

 part blackish-brown, bordered with butt; llic iiuill ami tail-feathers brown, edged with 

 buff; the throat blackish, varied with small spots of red and white; the breast dull red, 

 and the wings of smaller extent than in the male. 



The soft, but .sweet song of this bird is almost the first that is heard on the bushy 



Saxicolu Hubicola. 



