The Stonechat. 39 



hinted, the Stonechat is only seen when flitting from bush to bush, but it is heard 

 incessantly. 



I have only once had an opportimit)' of studying this species as an aviary 

 bird. Mr. E. P. Staines, of Penge, an enthusiastic student of British cage-birds 

 gave me a specimen, at the same time that he also brought me my Whinchat, in 

 September, 1893 : I turned it into the same aviary, and although I kept it for 

 over a year, it ultimately lost its life from a similar cause, a Rosa's Parrakeet 

 breaking one of its legs at the mid-tarsal or so-called knee-joint. I caged the 

 bird up separately, after binding the limb up, but it only survived two days. 



In the aviary the Stonechat is gentle and extremely lively; never quarrelling, 

 but often obtaining a delicacy by superior activity : thus I have seen it seize a 

 spider from under the very bill of a Wagtail and carry it half across the aviary 

 before the larger bird had solved the problem as to how it had disappeared ; it 

 was also very expert in catching white butterflies on the wing, though it frequently 

 lost them through getting hold of their wings only. 



The Stonechat took to soft food without hesitation, and, many a time when 

 the other inhabitants of the aviary were waiting for a fresh supply, I have seen 

 him alight on the edge of the Parrakeet's seed-pan and swallow canary and millet : 

 possibly it was in this manner he got in the way of one of these treacherous birds, 

 and so lost his life. Of cockroaches he was inordinately fond, jumping into the 

 beetle-trap and flingiug them out, or swallowing the smaller ones at a gulp : 

 sometimes he would snatch out a large female by one leg and fling the body away, 

 following it up and again catching at a second leg with the same action, until he had 

 completely dismembered the body, which would then be swallowed entire : it is 

 astonishing to see what large morsels can be gulped down by these little birds ! 



This bird often sang in the early spring ; but, as in its wild state, its warbling 

 ceased entirely before the end of June : it was fairly tame, but would not actually 

 take an insect from my fingers, always waiting until I dropped it, before attempt- 

 ing to secure it : like all insectivorous birds, it was more keen on spiders than 

 anything else, and the larger they were the better it was pleased. 



