30 STONECHAT. 



white rump and the predominance of black in the under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries. 



The nest, constructed early in April, is concealed amongst the 

 herbage on broken ground, or at the foot of some thick furze or 

 other bush, and is composed of dry grass and moss with a lining of 

 bents, hair, and feathers. The five or six eggs are of a bluish-green 

 (greener than those of the Whinchat), spotted and zoned with pale 

 reddish-brown : average measurements "] by "58 in. The parent 

 birds display considerable anxiety when the nest is approached, 

 flitting from bush to bush and uttering a sharp chack, but it 

 requires great patience to eye the female to her nest. Two broods 

 are produced during the season. The song, commenced early in 

 the spring, continues until the latter part of June, and, although 

 short, is rather pleasing ; but the scolding note, h-weet, jur, jur. 

 uttered by the male as, conspicuous by his black head, white neck, 

 and ruddy breast, he darts from spray to spray on some furze-covered 

 moor, is the most familiar indication of the presence of this sprightly 

 bird. The insect-prey of the Stonechat, including small moths and 

 butterflies, is often taken on the wing ; grubs, worms and beetles 

 forming its principal diet, with the addition of a few seeds. 



Adult male in May : — the head, throat, nape and back, black ; 

 the feathers of the latter edged with brown ; tail-coverts white, 

 spotted with dark brown ; tail and wings dark brown ; a conspicuous 

 white patch on the wing-coverts ; sides of the neck white ; breast 

 bright rufous, lighter on the abdomen ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries mottled black and white ; bill, legs and feet black. In 

 autumn the under parts are paler, and the upper feathers are mar- 

 gined with reddish-brown. In young males the crown of the head 

 is streaked brown and black. Female : — -striped brown upper 

 parts ; throat merely mottled with black ; rump reddish-brown ; the 

 white wing-patch smaller than in the male and under parts much 

 duller. Young : — throat buffish-white ; feathers of the upper parts 

 much tinged and margined with rufous-brown ; otherwise as in the 

 female. Length 5-25 in.; wing to the end of the 4th and longest 

 primary 27 in. 



