THE BIACK REDSTART. 103 



equally prized iii France for the delicacy of their flesh ; 

 and, as I have mentioned above, are commonly exposed for 

 sale in the markets. It generally arrives in England about 

 the first week in I^ovember, and remains with us all the 

 winter. Its nest has never been found in this country. 



THE sto:n^echat. 



SAXICOLA RUBICOLA. 



Head, throat, bill and legs, black ; sides of the neck near the wing, tertial 

 wing-coverts and rumj), white ; breast bright chestnut-red, shaded into 

 yellowish white towards the tail ; feathers of the back, Avings and tail, black, 

 with reddish brown edges. Female — feathers of the head and upper parts 

 dusky brown, edged with yellowish red ; throat black, with small whitish and 

 reddish spots ; less white in the wings and tail ; the red of the breast dull. 

 Length five and a quarter inches ; breadth eight and a half inclies. Eggs pale 

 blue, the larger end often faintly speckled with reddish brown. 



We can scarcely pass through a furze-brake during the 

 spring and summer months, without having the presence 

 of the Stonechat almost forced on our notice. I am 

 acquainted with no small bird whose habits are more 

 marked, or more easily observed. I^ot even does the 

 Skylark build its nest more invariably on the ground, 

 and "soaring sings, and singing soars," than does the 

 Stonechat build its nest in a furze-bush, and perch on the 

 topmost twigs of shrubs. In the breeding season, too, it 

 seems not to wander far from its home : we know there- 

 fore where a pair are to be found at any time ; and they 

 allow us to approach so close to them, that we can readily 

 distinguish them by the tints of their plumage. 



The nest of the pair before us is probably within a few 

 yards of the spot on which we are standing ; but the exact 

 locality no one knows, nor is likely to know but itself. 

 The male is a beautiful creature, with a black head, red 

 breast, and several patches of pure white on its wings, the 

 female much more sober in her attire. Their purpose is 

 evidently to distract our attention from their nest. One is 



