282 FRUTICICOLA RUBICOLA. 



with brown. The female imdergoes less change. These al- 

 terations are produced by the abrasion of the margins and tips 

 of the feathers, and the action of the weather. 



Habits. — This bird has hitherto been generally named the 

 Stonechat, but very inaptly, for it does not frequent stony or 

 rocky places, its usual haunts being similar to those of the 

 Whinchat. It is generally distributed, and although nowhere 

 abundant, is to be seen here and there on commons, heaths, 

 and hill pastures, overgrown with whins, juniper, and other 

 low shrubs. I have met with it at all seasons ; but in Scot- 

 land it is of unfrequent occurrence in winter, although I have 

 seen it and obtained recent specimens there even in the midst 

 of severe snow storms. Even in England it appears to be 

 rarer in winter, so that probably a partial migration takes place. 

 It is very seldom observed on the ground, its favourite station 

 being the top twig of a wdiin bush or other shrub, whence it 

 sallies forth on wing in pursuit of insects. When pursued it 

 flits with rapidity from bush to bush, seldom allowing one to 

 get w^ithin shot, and now and then concealing itself among the 

 twigs. If wounded it creeps among the herbage and is with 

 difficulty traced, although birds of this size are seldom so little 

 injured by shot as to proceed far. If you watch its motions, 

 without alarming it, you observe that it flits about by short 

 starts, with a direct flight, perches on a twig, jerks its body 

 and tail, utters at intervals a sharp note resembling the sylla- 

 ble snack, now and then flies off in pursuit of an insect, creeps 

 among the foliage, and sometimes hops along the ground, or 

 takes its stand on a turf or other eminence. I have always 

 found its stomach exclusively to contain insects, chiefly small 

 coleoptera, and without any intermixture of mineral particles. 

 In April it forms its nest, which it conceals among the grass 

 or other herbage, generally under a whin bush or other shrub, 

 and wdiich is composed of stems and leaves of grasses inter- 

 mixed with moss, and lined with finer straws, fibrous roots, 

 hair, and wool, as well as feathers. The eggs, five or six in 

 number, are of a light greenish-blue, marked towards the larger 

 end with pale brown dots, their average length eight-twelfths 



