WHITE-RUMPED STONECHAT. 293 



uncommon. It is especially fond of stony slopes in the vicinity 

 of pasture grounds, and in such places several pairs may often 

 be met with in a small space, whereas on open downs they occur 

 only at long intervals. But in whatever place it may be, its 

 presence is readily detected, for, although generally shy, it flies 

 up to a safe distance, and attracts notice by its rather loud and 

 sharp cry, which bears some resemblance to the noise made by 

 knocking a small stone against another. On moist moorlands, 

 in heathy tracts, and in woods or thickets, I have never met 

 with it. 



On the ground it hops with great celerity, jerking out its 

 tail, and inclining its body, whenever it stops. When engaged 

 in searching for food, and still more if disturbed or pursued, it 

 emits a cry resembling the syllables peep^ chack^ ckack^ whence, 

 and on account of its predilection for stony places, it is named 

 in most parts of Scotland the Stane-chack. In the Gaelic dis- 

 tricts it bears the name of Clacharan, or little mason. It flies 

 low over the ground, by short starts, and on alighting usually 

 commences hopping. An intruder on its haunts usually ob- 

 serves it perched on a stone or turf, or other eminence ; and 

 when alarmed it betakes itself to walls, along which it flies, 

 generally keeping at a considerable distance. But although 

 shy and vigilant, it comes up when one approaches its nest, 

 and manifests much anxiety, fluttering about, hopping, dipping, 

 and incessantly emitting its chacJc chacJc, and this the more 

 vehemently the nearer you come to its treasure. On ordinary 

 occasions it is extremely active, and is seldom to be seen un- 

 less in motion. 



Its food consists of insects of various kinds, small testaceous 

 mollusca, and worms. In pursuit of flies it often performs a 

 short excursion into the air, springing from an eminence, or 

 even from the plain ground. Its song is a short, lively, and 

 pleasantly modulated warble, which it performs sometimes 

 when perched on a rock, wall, or turf, but more frequently 

 while hovering at a small height in the air, and often in the 

 midst of its short flights when pursued or disturbed. It is 

 much superior in clearness and sweetness to the song of the 

 Bushchats, which it yet resembles in character. 



