274 BRITISH IITRDS' XESTS. 



varies in individutil specimens ; some are dark and 

 others quite light coloured in these parts. 



The female is dull hrown on the head, nape, and 

 back, the feathers being edged with buff; the rump 

 is brownish, the chin buff, the sides of the neck 

 brownish- white, and the breast and belly duller. 



Situation and Localitij. — On or near the ground, 

 amongst grass, brambles, at the foot of gorse bushes, 

 and amongst rough, tangled vegetation ; in pastures, 

 grass fields, on furze and heath-covered commons, 

 and ground covered with juniper brambles, boulders, 

 and bushes. The nest is extremely difficult to find ; 

 the example in our illustration was stumbled upon 

 quite by accident on a Suffolk common. It is verj^ 

 local, but breeds more or less in suitable localities 

 all over the British Isles. 



Materials. — Roots, moss, and dry grass, with an 

 inner lining of Iniir, feathers, finer grass, and some- 

 times a little wool. 



Efjf/s. — Four to six, rarely seven, of a pale bluish- 

 green, closely mottled, and especially round tlie 

 larger end, with reddish-brown spots. Sometimes 

 without any spots at all. Size about •? by -57 in. 

 Distinguished from the eggs of the Whinchat by 

 lighter ground colour and more defined markings, 

 also by parent birds. 



Time. — April and May. 



Hemarls. — Resident, but subject to local migra- 

 tion. Notes : il-tic, ii-tic, changing when the young 

 are hatched to cJnicl-, cliucli. Local and other 

 names : Stoneclink, Stone Chatter, Stone Smick, 

 Stone Chack, Stonesmith, Chick Stone, Black Cap, 

 Moor Titling, a name generally applied to the 

 Meadow Pipit in some districts. A fairly close 

 sitter, but when at the foot of a furze bush the bird 

 runs for some distance before taking flight. It is 



