TIJRDIN^. 



33 



THE BLACK REDSTART. 



RUTICILLA TITVS (Scopoli). 



The Black Redstart, formerly considered a rare bird, is now a 

 well-known visitor to many parts of our coasts in autumn and 

 winter ; being in fact tolerably common at those seasons in the 

 southern counties, especially in Devon and Cornwall. It has also 

 occurred in summer, and I saw^ an adult male at Erpingham, Nor- 

 folk, on May 15th 1872 ; but as yet there is no really satisfactory 

 evidence that the species has ever bred in this country. In Scot- 

 land it is of rare occurrence, the latest and most northerly instance 

 being on the Pentland Skerries, March 31st 1884. To Ireland it is 

 an unfrequent winter-visitor, chiefly on the east and south coasts. 



As a straggler the Black Redstart has been recorded in Iceland, 

 the Ea^roes, Southern Scandinavia and Denmark ; but, although ex- 

 tending its range, it is not yet a common bird in the north-eastern 

 districts of Germany. Erom Holland southward it is, however, 

 abundant in summer ; migrating from the countries on the north of 

 the Alps in winter ; but becoming more or less resident in Southern 

 Europe, and even in the mountains of North Africa, where it breeds 

 at a considerable elevation. Eastward its range appears to extend 

 to the Ural, Asia Minor, and Palestine ; and, in winter, to Nubia. 



Breeding begins early in May ; the nest, composed of dried grass, 

 moss and fine roots, with a lining of hair and feathers, being placed, 

 with little attempt at concealment, in sheds, holes of walls, chalets, 

 or clefts of rocks. The eggs, 5-6, are of a pure shining white, 



I) 



