SYLA'IADE. 



cises great influence in determining the time of the appear- 

 ance of this bird, as well as some others ; the state of vege- 

 tation and temperature being generally better indicators than 

 the almanack. 



In some particulars the Redstart resembles the Blue-throat 

 and the Redbreast. It inhabits the skirts of forests, lanes, 

 meadows, orchards and gardens, and is partial to old walls 

 and ruins, particularly if oveirun with ivy. The male bird 

 is remarkable for the distribution and purity of the colours 

 of his plumage, and makes himself rather conspicuous by 

 perching on the uppermost branch of low trees, moving his 

 tail repeatedly, and singing his soft and sweet song, — occa- 

 sionally taking a short flight to some other prominent station, 

 and sinffins: as he flies. Like most of those birds that are 

 gifted with powers of song, as observed in the account of 

 the Blackbird, the Redstart is also an imitator of the notes 

 of other birds ; and some have been taught, like the Bull- 

 finch, to repeat a tune. Mr. Sweet possessed a Redstart 

 that whistled the Copenhagen Waltz ; and other males of this 

 species have been known to imitate very closely the notes 

 of the Sparrow and Chaffinch, and the songs of the Garden 

 Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. 



The food of the Redstart is worms, beetles and their grubs, 

 flies, spiders, ants and their eggs, fruit, and berries. Most 

 of these they seek for on the ground, like the Accentors and 

 Redbreasts ; but they are also frequently seen to capture in- 

 sects on the wing with as much ease and certainty as the true 

 Flycatchers. 



The nest, which is rather loosely constructed, is formed of 

 moss externally, and lined with hair and feathers : it is occa- 

 sionally placed in a hollow tree, or in a hole in a wall, or 

 behind a branch of a tree that is trained against a wall, and 

 sometimes in a hole on the ground even where there has 

 happened to be abundance of trees. 



