TURDIN/E. 



33 



THE BLACK REDSTART, 



RUTICILLA TITVS (Scopoli). 



The Black Redstart, formerly considered a rare bird, is now a 

 well-known visitor to many parts of the English coasts in autumn 

 and winter, being, in fact, tolerably common at those seasons in the 

 southern counties, especially in Devon and Cornwall, and remaining 

 till March or April. In the Humber district, and at Flamborough, 

 it is sometimes numerous on both migrations (J. Cordeaux). It 

 has also occurred later in spring, and I saw an adult male at Erping- 

 ham, Norfolk, on May 15th, 1872; but as yet (1897) there is no 

 really satisfactory evidence that the species has bred in this country. 

 In Wales, it occurs irregularly in Pembrokeshire, but rarely else- 

 where. In Scotland it is seldom noticed, the most northerly 

 instance being on the Pentland Skerries, March 31st, 1884, and, 

 perhaps, Kirkwall, Orkney. To Ireland it is not an unfrequent 

 winter-visitor, and seventeen individuals were obtained at the light- 

 houses on the south and south-east coast from 1884-1895 (R. M. 

 Barrington). 



As a straggler the Black Redstart has been recorded in Iceland 

 (once), the Faeroes, Southern Scandinavia, and Denmark. It is 

 common in Western Germany, where it arrives about the middle of 

 March, but is not plentiful in the north-eastern districts. From 

 Holland southward it is, however, abundant in summer, migrating 

 from the countries on the north of the Alps in winter, but becoming 



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