32 REDSTART. 



Africa, the Canaries and Madeira, Senegal, Abyssinia, Arabia, 

 Palestine, and Persia. In Cyprus, Asia Minor, Persia, and the 

 Caucasus — straggling to Turkey and Greece — the representative 

 species is R. mesolenca, the male of which has a white patch on the 

 wing, like the Black Redstart ; from the Lebanon eastward we find 

 the Indian Redstart, R. riifiimitris, with black throat and mantle 

 and chestnut under wing; while the under wing is black in R. 

 ochruriis of the Caucasus and Armenia. 



The nest is generally placed in hollow trees or in the holes of 

 walls ; exceptionally in such localities as the inside of an inverted 

 flower-pot, or in the gable-ends of inhabited buildings. It is rather 

 loosely constructed of moss, dry grass, and fine roots, with a lining 

 of hair and feathers ; the eggs, usually 6, being of a light blue — 

 paler than those of the Hedge-Sparrow — occasionally speckled with 

 reddish : average measurements 7 by "55 in. Nesting commences 

 early in May, and while the female is sitting the male is conspicuous 

 in the vicinity, uttering his slight but pleasant song, or, when 

 alarmed, a plaintive wheel. The food consists of flies, gnats, small 

 butterflies, and other insects, spiders &c. ; the young being fed largely 

 on caterpillars. Departure for the south takes place in September. 

 In many parts of the country this bird is known as the ' Firetail ' ; 

 the second syllable of the name Red-start being derived from the 

 Anglo-Saxon sleorl, a tail. 



Adult male : forehead and eye-streak white ; crown, nape and 

 upper back slate-grey, wings brown with pale outer edges ; rump and 

 tail chestnut, except the two central feathers, which are brown ; 

 chin, throat and cheeks jet-black ; breast and axillaries chestnut; 

 abdomen buff; bill black ; legs and feet dark brown. Total length 

 5-25 in. ; wing to the end of the 3rd and longest primary 3-15 in. 

 The female has no bright colours on the head, being greyish-brown 

 above, and lighter on the under parts, while the chestnut of the tail 

 is less brilliant. Occasionally, however, a plumage resembling that 

 of the male is assumed, and a bird exemplifying this was caught 

 on her eggs in June 1882 (Tr. Norw. Soc. iv. p. 182). Birds of 

 the year resemble the female ; the nestlings are spotted above 

 and below, and, but for the chestnut tail, are rather like young 

 Redbreasts. 



In autumn the new feathers of both sexes are broadly tipped with 

 white, producing a greyish appearance, but these edges disappear by 

 the following spring. 



