26 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



a female {P.Z.S. 1885, pp. 835-6 ; Ibis, 1886, p. 100 ; Zool. 

 1885, p. 479 ; Field, 28th November 1885 ; Nat. 1885, 

 p. 387 ; 1897, p. 201). This bird is now in the collection 

 of Mr. J. H. Gurney. 



[The late J. Cordeaux stated that he was of opinion Mr. 

 H. B. Hewetson saw an example of the Black-throated 

 Wheatear (S. stapazina) at Spurn on i8th September 1892 

 {Zool. 1892, p. 424 ; 1895, p. 57 ; Nat. 1893, p. 7 ; 1897, 

 p. 201 ; " Birds of Humber District," 1899, p. 2). This 

 record is merely quoted for what it is worth.] 



WHINCHAT. 

 Pratincola rubetra (Z.). 



Summer visitant, common and generally distributed. 



The first reference to this species as a county bird is, 

 apparently, that given by Tunstall under the heading of 

 " Stonechat." " It builds in whins, and is perpetually 

 flying up and down when anyone approaches, repeating a cry 

 like ' Eutic,' by which I judged it to be the Whin Chat " 

 (Tunst. MS, 1784, p. 74). 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : — 



Saxicola rubetra. — Whinchat — One of the most common summer 

 visitants. 



The earliest date for the appearance of the Whinchat 

 of which I am aware, is the 28th March 1906, when I 

 saw two on the Redcar sand-hills. The average for the 

 south of the county is given as the 20th April, and, 

 generally speaking, from that date until the end of the 

 month may be considered the usual time for its arrival, 

 and it is often the first week in May before it makes its 

 appearance in Cleveland. It leaves again in September or 



