THE REDSTART. 



49 



The song of the Eedstart is pleasing, being somewhat like 

 that of the Wren, though not so loud ; and its call-note, 

 which it often repeats, is like the words " Weet-tit-tit." It 

 usually places its nest in a hole of a wall or tree, but it 

 does not confine itself entirely to these situations, the nest 

 being sometimes built in odd places, after the manner of the 

 Spotted Flycatcher. As an instance of this, it may be men- 

 tioned that in the summer of 1886, a pair built their nest 

 inside a wooden pump standing near the gardener's house at 

 Paxton. The pump had not been used for some time, and 

 the birds got in and out by the hole where the handle passed 

 through the outside woodwork. The nest is generally con- 

 structed of moss and dry grass, lined with feathers and hair, 

 with the addition of wool occasionally. The eggs, which 

 are five or six in number, are very like those of the Hedge 

 Sparrow, but are rather smaller, and of a paler blue colour. 

 The food of the Eedstart consists almost wholly of insects, 

 and it generally leaves us for the south in August and 

 September. 



The male may be easily distinguished from all other 

 Berwickshire birds, by his leaden grey back and head, the 

 pure white spot on his forehead, and his chestnut-coloured 

 breast and tail. The female has brownish plumage, with a 

 reddish tail. Both the male and female attract attention by 

 their ruddy colour when seen flitting about. 





VOL. I. 



