I20 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



Nearly related to, and more striking in appearance than, the 

 Blackbird, is the Ring- ousel (Plate XXIX. fig. 3), and this because 

 of the pure white crescent which crosses the upper part of the breast. 

 As a songster, however, it is far inferior to the Blackbird. The 

 Ring-ousel is a fairly common bird on our moorlands during the 

 spring and summer, but in autumn it forsakes us to spend the 

 winter in more congenial climes. 



By far the most beautiful of our British Thrushes is the rare 

 RocK-THRusK (Plate XXIX. fig. 4). This bird has, it is true, but 

 slender claim to be regarded as a British bird, since it has only been 

 met with in this country about two or three times. This is certainly 

 curious, as it is a common bird in Germany and other parts of Europe 

 at no great distance from our shores. 



Among British birds there are few perhaps which the naturalist 

 regards with such kindly feelings as the Wheatear (Plate XXIX» 

 fig. 7), for it is one of the fore-runners of spring, one of the very 

 first to come back to us after the dull and dreary days of winter. 



The female is a much duller bird, having the upper parts brown, 

 instead of the delicate pearl -grey of her mate. After the autumn 

 moult, however, the male appears almost to assume the female dress, 

 but this is because the feathers at this time have long brown fringes. 

 As these wear off, the hue of the spring garment appears. The 

 young birds resemble the female, but are slightly spotted above and 

 below with buff. 



The name " Wheatear " comes from an old Saxon word. 

 ** Wheat " is a corruption of White, and *' ear " has com^e from the 

 old Saxon word '* aers," meaning rump, in allusion to the white 

 patch above the tail. 



Those who have the good fortune to live near heaths and commons, 

 and especially near extensive pastures in England and Wales, have, 

 if they wish it, plenty of opportunities of studying the habits of an 

 extremely lively and very pretty member of the Thrush tribe. This 

 is the Whinchat (Plate XXIX. fig. 8). It is an insect-eater, and 

 builds a nest of grass and moss on the ground, or in the stems of 

 some bush but a few inches from the ground. 



A near relative of the Whinchat is the Redstart, of which two 

 species occur in Great Britain. These are the Common Redstart 



