TURDIN.^*;. 



19 



THE WHEATEAR. 



Saxicola (ENanthe (Linnaeus). 



The Wheatear, one of the first of our spring-visitors, usually 

 arrives in the second week in March ; any birds seen earlier being 

 probably those which, as exceptions, have wintered in mild portions of 

 our islands. From early spring onwards the Wheatear is to be seen, 

 jerking its white tail as it flits along uttering its sharp c/iack, cliack, 

 on open downs, warrens, and the poorer land ; ascending the moun- 

 tains almost to the highest summits. Numbers still frequent our 

 South Downs, especially on migration in August; but by the be- 

 ginning of October nearly all have left us. In summer it is very 

 widely distributed, ranging to the Fajroes, Iceland, Jan Mayen and 

 C.reenland ; while it has straggled to So° N. lat. (Feildcn), and to 



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