RUTICILLA. REDSTART. 299 



the large nasal membrane, which is anteriorly bare. Eyes of 

 moderate size ; the eyelids with two rows of feathers near the 

 edge, which is crenate. External aperture of the ear large and 

 roundish. 



The general form is rather slender ; the body ovate, the neck 

 short, the head ovate, rather flattened anteriorly. The legs of 

 moderate length, and slender ; the tarsus moderately long, 

 slender, very much compressed, anteriorly with a long plate 

 and three inferior scutella. Toes rather long, very slender, 

 much compressed, the third much longer than the two lateral, 

 which are nearly equal, the first stouter. Claws rather long, 

 moderately arched, very slender, extremely compressed, late- 

 rally grooved, acute. 



Plumage blended and very soft. Wings rather long, broad, 

 semi-ovate, almost straight ; quills eighteen ; the first primary 

 very small, being about a third of the length of the second, 

 which is considerably shorter than the third ; the latter longest, 

 but scarcely exceeding the fourth, which is little longer than 

 the fifth ; the primaries rounded at the end, the secondaries 

 rather broad, and obliquely rounded. Tail rather long, nearly 

 even, straight, of twelve narrow, obliquely rounded feathers. 

 There are short bristle-feathers at the base of the upper man- 

 dible, and the gular and loral feathers are bristle-tipped. 



The Redstarts have the bill shorter than that of the Stone- 

 chats, and more slender than that of the Bushchats. Their 

 form is less full, their bill more slender, their wings longer and 

 straighter, and their tail also longer, than those of the Bush- 

 chats. They have a rather weaker bill and longer tarsi and 

 wings than the Sylviae, which however they very closely re- 

 semble. Intermediate in form between the JSIotacillae, Saxi- 

 colse and Sylvise, their habits are analogous, some species in 

 this respect resembling one of these genera more than another. 

 Their food is composed of insects, which they generally catch 

 on wing, of larvge, pupas, and berries. 



This genus is composed of Sylvia Suecica, S. Phoenicurus, 

 S. Tithys, and three or four other species, all natives of the old 

 continent. Only one species is of common occurrence in Bri- 

 tain ; but two others have been met with there in a very few 

 instances. 



