STONKCHAT. 247 



and seven lines in breadth. The young are usually hatched 

 by the middle of May ; and the parent birds are then clamor- 

 ous and bold, practising various tricks to entice intruders 

 from their nest. 



The Stonechat is common in the counties along our south- 

 ern coast to the Irish Channel ; it is also a constant resident 

 in the south, the west, and the north of Ireland. It is ob- 

 served constantly in Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, and North- 

 umberland ; Mr. Selby observed it in Sutherlandshire ; and 

 Mr. Macgillivray includes it in his Catalogue of the Birds of 

 the Hebrides. 



M. Temminck mentions that specimens of the Stonechat 

 were sent by Pallas from some part of Russia, but the par- 

 ticular locality is not named : these specimens, it is stated, 

 did not differ from others received from South Africa. The 

 Stonechat is common during summer in Germany, France, 

 Provence, and Italy : in the latter country some remain 

 during the winter, in which season it was observed by Mr. 

 Strickland at Smyrna. Mr. Swainson includes the Stonechat 

 among the birds of Senegal ; and Le Vaillant and Dr. Smith 

 obtained specimens at the Cape. In a direction east of Eu- 

 rope, the geographical range of this little bird is extensive. 

 In two collections of birds made in India, one formed by 

 Colonel Sykes in the Dukhun, the other by Major Franklin 

 on the banks of the Ganges and in the mountain chain of 

 Upper Hindoostan, both contained specimens of our Euro- 

 pean Stonechat. M. Temminck also includes the Stonecliat 

 in his Catalogue of the Birds of Japan. 



The adult male, in May, has the beak black ; the indes 

 dark brown ; the head, neck, and back, nearly black ; wmg- 

 coverts of the tertials white, but partly hid by the other co- 

 verts, which are blackish brown, edged with lighter brown ; 

 quill-feathers the same colour : upper tail-coverts white ; tail- 

 feathers nearly black. Chin and throat black ; sides of the 



