76 British Birds. 



and is then often in evidence, but during the breeding season the bird is decidedl_v shy, 

 and It is onI_v before the autumn migration that the species is freely noticed. Then 

 in such places as the New Forest and other woods of our southern counties, the 

 Redstart is often to be seen on the side of the coppices fl3'ing out into the air 

 after some insect, after the manner of a Flycatcher, but easily recognisable by its 

 red tail. The nest is placed in the hole of a tree or a wood stack, or in the hole 

 of a building, the entrance to the latter being often so narrow that even a child's 

 hand cannot be inserted. The eggs are pale blue and from five to six in number. 



This species visits us regularly in winter, journeying from 



^^^ east to west along the south coast of England and returning 



BLACK REDSTART. , ^, / . i, ■ i i • » 



by the same route m sprmg. It is also known as a winter 



(Rutuilla titys.) ' > » 



visitor to Scotland and Ireland. On the continent it is 



confined to the Western and Central districts of Europe and does not extend 



beyond Southern Norway and Sweden. The Black Redstart is slaty grey, the 



rump and upper tail-coverts being orange-chestnut like the tail ; there is no 



white band on the crown, the forehead being black at its base, like the face. 



throat and breast ; the abdomen whitish, and the flanks slaty-grey, turning 



to cinnamon on the lower flanks and under tail-coverts. The female is 



slaty-brown, the under surface being also of this colour but paler than the 



back, and the under wing-coverts and axillaries resemble the breast in colour. 



Instead of being a frequenter of woods like the Common Redstart, the 



present species seeks the neighbourhood of houses, and resembles the Robin in its 



habits. The nest is built in holes of buildings, and the eggs, from four to six in 



number, are white, with occasionally a faint greenish tinge. 



This Chat is to be observed plentifulh' on our coasts 



THE WHEATEAR. ^ . , . . ■ • • • r •. 



,„ . , during the autumn migration, when it is preparing tor its 



[Saxicola anmtthe.) " " . . 



flight towards its winter home in Africa. It is also found in the 



latter season from the shores of the Persian Gulf to North-western India. In 



summer the Wheatear is not only found throughout Northern Europe and Northern 



Asia, but even extends to Greenland, where it has been observed up to 80' N. 



Lat. The male is slaty blue, with a conspicuous white rump, the tail also is 



white with a broad band of black at the end ; the forehead and eyebrow are white, 



and the sides of the face black, the throat and breast pale tawny-buff, and the rest 



of the under parts creamy white ; the axillaries are white and the under wing-coverts 



black. The female is browner than the male, and the under surface is pale 



sandy-buff. In autumn the plumage of both old and young birds is like that of the 



female, but is rather more rufescent. 



The Wheatear nests in a variety of situations, on the sea-shore in the south of 



England, under a tussock on the downs and moors, or in the stony crevices of the 



mountains of Norway beyond the limits of forest-growth. The nest is very simply 



made of grass with some moss and rootlets, and is lined with hair or a few feathers ; 



