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THE WHINCHAT. 315 
horsehair, loosely put together and almost enshrouded in the surrounding 
herbage. ‘The eggs are from four to six in number, greenish blue like the 
Hedge-Accentor’s, but different in form, being more pointed at both ends. 
The markings are somewhat faint, and usually consist of a zone of small 
light brown spots round the larger end, although in some specimens 
this zone is round the smaller end. They vary in length from ‘81 to ‘71 
inch, and in breadth from ‘6 to 55 inch. 
It has been stated that the Whinchat rears two broods in the season, 
but probably erroneously. Certain it is the Whinchat of the pastures 
only rears one brood in the year, for the grass is usually mown even before 
its young have reached maturity, and consequently cover for a second 
nest is wanting. The decline of the male bird’s song is another conclu- 
sive proof that the birds are single-brooded, for rarely do we hear him 
sing after the first week in July. 
Much anxiety is evinced by the Whinchat, especially by the female, 
when the nest is approached. They will fly round and round your head, 
or take short flights from one stem of herbage to another, all the time 
uttering their low peep, or their louder and better-known call-note. The 
nearer their nest be approached the more anxious the little creatures 
become, and flit about more rapidly, and sometimes flutter in the air 
above you or drop silently down into the herbage. The young birds keep 
with their parents throughout the autumn, and probably migrate in com- 
pany. At this season of the year, when the grass is cut, the Whinchat 
is rather more shy and difficult of approach, and is seen on the swathes 
of newly cut grass flying restlessly about, and seemingly highly concerned 
at the loss of the friendly shelter which the long grass afforded. 
The general colour of the Whinchat above is blackish brown, with sandy 
buff margins to the feathers, brightest on the ramp. The wings and tail 
are dark brown, the former having the smaller coverts white and the latter 
having the basal half white, except the two centre feathers, which only 
have the extreme bases so, There is a buffy white streak over the eye, 
round the chin, and along the sides of the neck ; the ear-coverts are black, 
and the remainder of the under plumage rich rufous, palest on the centre 
of the belly and under tail-coverts, and deepest on the breast. Bill, legs, 
toes, and claws black; irides brown. The female. bird, although similar 
to the male, is much paler in colour, and the white parts that adorn the 
male are not so pure, and the black parts are brown. The nestling bird 
is similar to the female, only the spotting of the upper parts is more 
defined, and the breast is waved and barred with darker brown. After 
the autumn moult the male birds resemble the females ; the rufous tints 
are not so dark, and the broad pale margins to the feathers give the bird a 
much lighter appearance. 
