364 Stray Notes on the Birds of Anglesea. [Sess. 



enough, no stock-doves, although the locality seemed favour- 

 able, common and yellow buntings, linnets, the various species 

 of swallows and warblers, pipits, skylarks, finches, besides 

 many others too numerous to particularise. Without making a 

 list of all these, it may be better just to crave your attention 

 in detail to a few of the more uncommon species ; and the 

 first to be noticed is the sprightly little stonechat. This 

 beautiful lively creature, imlike its congeners the wheatear 

 and whinchat, is found in Britain all the year round, although 

 many, no doubt, migrate in autumn, as they are never seen 

 during winter in such numbers, save, perhaps, in certain fav- 

 oured localities near the sea-shore. If reference is made to 

 most standard works on ornithology, you will doubtless read 

 that this species is common all over Scotland. This state- 

 ment I humbly beg to differ from, as one may wander for days 

 without seeing a solitary specimen except in isolated quarters, 

 where, perhaps, the surroundings are suitable to their mode of 

 life. The migratory whinchat is often confused with this bird, 

 as at a distance they are not readily distinguished, more espe- 

 cially as the notes are not dissimilar ; but in my experience I 

 have always found the Saxicola rubetra to be the more numer- 

 ous of the two. In Anglesea there was no dubiety about the 

 matter, as in almost any direction — excluding, of course, the 

 thick woods — the stonechat was to be seen flirting and 

 dodging about, now swinging on the top spray of a whin, or 

 sitting upon a fence or rock, uttering the peculiar clicking 

 note that resembles two pebbles knocked sharply against 

 each other. This metallic sound is diversified by a clear 

 liquid whistle, and the song, such as it is, is sweet, though 

 rather short. This bird inherits a fashion — peculiar to all 

 the chats, such as the robin, redstart, &c. — of suddenly diving 

 down from its perch, only to reappear after a low flight, with 

 a confident demeanour, at some considerable distance, as if in 

 triumph at having outwitted the onlooker. The male bird in 

 his nuptial plumage is a pretty object when viewed close at 

 hand, and withal seems a trifle conceited, if we are to judge 

 from the airs he assumes when dallying with his lady-love. 

 Waste commons where gorse and stunted bushes abound, open 

 heaths and links by the sea-shore, are favourite habitats ; but 

 it by no means confines itself to marine neighbourhoods, as it 



