32 REDSTART. 



autumn migrations. Eastward it stretches in summer as far as 

 Lake Bailcal ; in winter it migrates to Madeira, the Canaries, 

 the northern half of Africa, Arabia, and Persia; and INIr. E. 

 Lort PhilHps recently found it breeding on the high ground of 

 North Somali-land. In Cyprus, Asia Minor, Persia, and the 

 Caucasus— wandering to Turkey and Greece — the representative 

 species is R. jnesoleuca, the male of which has a white patch on the 

 wing, like the Black Redstart ; from the Lebanon eastward pre- 

 dominates the Indian Redstart, i?. mfivenfris, with black throat 

 and mantle and chestnut underwing ; in the Caucasus and Armenia, 

 R. ochrunes, with a diack underwing, prevails. 



The nest is generally placed in hollow trees or in the holes of 

 walls ; exceptionally in such localities as the inside of an inverted 

 flower-pot, or in the gable ends of inhabited buildings. It is rather 

 loosely constructed of moss, dry grass, and fine roots, with a lining 

 of hair and feathers ; the eggs, usually 6, being of a light blue- 

 paler than those of the Hedge Sparrow — occasionally speckled with 

 reddish : measurements 7 by '55 in. Nesting commences early in 

 May, and while the female is sitting the male is conspicuous in the 

 vicinity, uttering his slight but pleasant song, or, when alarmed, a 

 plaintive wheet. The food consists of flies, gnats, small butterflies, 

 and other insects, spiders, &c. ; the young being fed largely on 

 caterpillars. Departure for the south takes place in September. In 

 many parts of England this bird is known as the ' Firetail ' ; the 

 second syllable of the name Redstart being derived from the Anglo- 

 Saxon steort, a tail. 



Adult male : forehead and eye streak white ; crown, nape and 

 upper back slate-grey ; wings brown, with pale outer edges ; rump 

 and tail chestnut, except the two central feathers, which are brown ; 

 chin, throat and cheeks jet black ; breast and axillaries chestnut ; 

 abdomen buff; bill black ; legs and feet dark brown. Total length 

 5*4 in; wing to the end of the third and longest primary 3'i in. 

 The female has no bright colours on the head, being greyish-brown 

 above, and lighter on the under parts, while the chestnut of the tail 

 is less brilliant. Occasionally, however, a plumage resembling that 

 of the male is assumed, and a bird exemplifying this was caught on 

 her eggs in June 1882 (Tr. Norw. Soc. iv. p. 182). Birds of the 

 year resemble the female. The nestlings are spotted above and 

 below, and, but for the chestnut tail, are rather like young Red- 

 breasts. In autumn the new feathers of both sexes are broadly 

 tipped with white, producing a greyish appearance, but these edges 

 disappear by the following spring. 



