Saxicola. birds. PASSERES. 61 



52. C. aquat'tcus. — Bill black. Irides grey. Feet yellowish. 



Merula aquatica, Will. Orn. 104. Sihb. Scot. 22 — Water Ousel, Penn. 

 Erit. Zool. i. 312. Temm. Orn. i. 170 — A\ Water-Craw ; W, Mwjal- 

 chen y tlwfr. ; G, Gobha uisge — Resident near rivulets. 



Length 9, breadth 124 inches; weight 2^ ounces. Plumage above, black; 

 the margin of the feathers on the back inclining to grey, and the head and 

 neck with a brown tinge. Throat, bi'east, and upper belly, white, followed 

 by a red space ; the remainder untlerneath, black. In the female^ the head 

 and neck are cinereous brown ; there is less white on the breast, and the re- 

 mainder beneath, is yellowish-red. Nest on the ground, in a mossy bank, 

 lined with leaves. Eggs 5 or G, of a transparent white colour. Young, with 

 the head and neck greyisli ; the \ving-feathers edged with white ; the whole 

 belly is whitish. Feeds on aquatic insects, which it pursues even under wa- 

 iex. Capable of diving, and running along the bottom of pools, by the use of 

 its wings. It is subject to considerable variations of colour, especially in the 

 proportions of brown and white. 



Gen. XXIX. SAXICOLA. Chat.— Bill enlarged at the 

 base ; its breadth exceeding its height. Stiff hairs at the 

 base of the bill. Mouth black. 



53. S. Oenantlic. Fallow-chat. — Plumage above grey ; the 



front, throat, and band above the eyes, white. 



Oenanthe, Will. Orn. 1G8. Sibb. Scot. 18. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. .383. 

 Temm. Orn. i. 23? — E, AVheat-ear, Fallow-smich, White-tail, Chickell ; 

 Sy Stane-chatter or chacker ; W, Tinwyn y cerrig ; G, Cloichearan.— 

 A regular summer visitant. 



Length C^ inches ; weight 6 drams. BUI, legs, and claAv^s black. Irides 

 hazel. A black stripe passes from the base of the bill, through the eye, to 

 the ear-covers. Wings black. Two middle tail-feathers black ; the rest tipt 

 with black, and white at the base. Plumage, beneath, white, m ith a slight tinge 

 of red on the neck. Female, with the cinereous plumage, above, mixed with 

 brown, and the white in front inclining to dusky. Nest of dried stallcs, lined 

 with wool, j^laced in a hole in the ground, or among stones. The eggs, 5 or 

 C in number, are of an uniform blue colour. The young have the plumage 

 above, varied with red, and cinereous, and spotted with brown. This species 

 varies in size and markings. It arrives in ]March, and departs in September. 

 It is prized at table, and is captured by a noose of horse -hair. 



54. S. ruhetra. Whinchat. — Crown of the head, sides of 

 the neck, and on the body above, blackish brown ; the margins 

 of the feathers pale. 



Oenanthe secunda. Will. Orn. 108. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 385. Temm. Orn. 



i. 244 — S, Wliin-ckacker ; W, Clochder yr eithen. — A regular summer 



visitant. 

 Length 5 inches ; weight 4 drams. Bill, legs, and claws black. Irides dark' 

 hazel. A white streak passes from the bill over the eye to the nape, and an- 

 other from the chin down each side of the neck. Front of the neck and breast 

 ferruginous. Belly and under tail-covers, white. A white patch on the wing. 

 Quills dusky black. Tail, with the basal half white ; the rest dusky. In the 

 female, the white is less in quantity, and has a reddish tinge. The nest is 

 placed on the ground, among grass, at the root of a bush, and consists of dried 

 stalks, lined with fine grass. EggS 6, uniformly blue. The young are spotted 

 ■white and grey. This species arrives in April. Frequents broom and furze, 

 perching upon the highest twigs, where it occasionally sings very sweetly. 



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