128 Stone-chat 



handy — they take up their position, and from here they make excur- 

 sions after insects, much in the manner of a Fly-catcher, capturing 

 the prey in the air, and returning after each expedition to the same 

 perch. 



In the summer, the food consists almost entirely of insects 

 taken on the wing. 



In the imnter, larvae, insects, especially beetles, lying dormant 

 under the bark or in the cre\-ices of the gorse-stubbs, form a small 

 portion of their diet ; but in the main they depend on seeds of one 

 kind or another to keep them from starvation. I have even seen 

 them in the stack-yards with the sparrows. 



The necessity of obtaining a suppl}- of seed through the winter is, 

 I think, one of the reasons which causes them to favour these 

 " Bentlings " so much with their company. Below on the sea-shore 

 grows the mat-grass or sea-reed (Psamma areiiaria) which we call 

 "bent-grass" (hence our "Bentlings") and people in Norfolk "marram- 

 grass." This plant fruits rather late in autumn, and the seed appears 

 to remain a remarkably long time " in the ear." I have noticed all 

 kinds of birds feeding on these rushes, notably the Reed- and Snow- 

 bunting. Where it abounds, I believe this seed forms the staple 

 diet of the Stone-chat in winter, though no doubt they secure manv 

 other varieties of seed in addition. 



It is an interesting instance of an aerial-insectivorous bird 

 adopting ground-feeding habits out of necessity. Either the bird 

 must migrate, like the other Chats, or, if it is to stay and live, it must 

 evolve an entirely new form of catering. This, as it seems to me, 

 is what the Stone-chat has done. 



The song is short and rather insignificant, but it is pleasing so 

 far as it goes, the more so as but few birds are in song by March. 

 It is a very incomplete song, generally uttered in the air, sometimes 

 from the topmost twig of a gorse-bush or other perch, but in either 

 case it stops short just as you think the theme is going to develop 

 itself. It never seems to get beyond the first few bars of the intro- 

 duction. 



The -Stone-chat is a ver}- early breeder, much earlier than most 

 books would lead one to suppose. The nest is well concealed, and 

 is considered rather difficult to find. It is curious that this should 

 be so, for they are quite extraordinarily sociable birds, always appear- 

 ing to choose a position where they can see a good deal of life, and 

 where something or someone is continually passing. 



Moreover, having chosen a site for the nest, they are never far 

 away from the spot. Day after day you pass, and day after day you 

 see the same pair of birds in much the same place. They scold 

 you out of their neighbourhood as quickly as possible, and use a good 

 many wiles to indicate exactly where the nest is not ; but you know 

 that if they are breeding, the nest must be at no great distance 

 from the gorse-bush where you habitually see them. As the nest 

 will certainly be made in a gorse-bush, and that probably a 



