The Wheatear 



THE Wheatear is a stout little bird about 

 six inches in length. The top of its 

 head, nape, and back are of a bluish grey 

 colour tinged with light brown. The end of 

 its body and upper part of the tail are pure 

 white. That is why the bird looks like a 

 large snowflake when flying away from you 

 in a dull light. A streak over the eye, its 

 wings, and the tip of its tail are nearly black. 

 Chin and throat are dull white, and the under- 

 pays creamy white. The female is browner 

 and duller in colour generally. 



This bird loves wild moorland country 

 where rocks and solitude are to be found ; it 

 is frequently, however, met with inhabiting 

 pastures and arable land in the North. It 

 has a habit of perching on stone walls and 

 rocks and waiting until you walk quite close 

 to it, then flying on in front of you and 

 alighting on some large stone or knoll near 

 which you are almost sure to pass. Whilst 



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