110 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



40. STONECHAT. 



Pratincola ruhicola. 



The Stonechat is by no means a common bird in 

 our immediate neighbourhood, probably because we 

 have little or none of the moory rough ground in 

 which it delights, but I occasionally meet with it in 

 the month of September frequenting low cut fences 

 on the arable land ; it is much more common in the 

 neighbourhood of Stamford, and I find that Morton, 

 so often previously quoted, says (Nat. Hist. North- 

 amptonshire, p. 427) that " The Winchat, Q^nantJie 

 secunda of Mr. Willughby, is common in the gorzy 

 grounds nigh Kelmarsh and Clipston, and in the 

 bushy parts of the heathy grounds about Halston." 

 I feel sure that this refers to the present species, and 

 not to the bu'd now commonly known as Whinchat, 

 for, on the previous page to that from which I have 

 taken the above, I observe that our author mentions 

 the Winchat (without the li) as one of the small 

 birds which " abide the winter with us " ; and this 

 we know the true Whinchat does not. On reference 

 to Willughby, however, I find that, having described 

 the Wheatear as " QLnanthe she Vitiflora of Aldrov.," 

 he gives a short description of " the other Q^nanthe 

 of Aldrovand," which may be the Whinchat, and goes 

 on to describe the " Stone-smich, Stone-chatterer, 

 or Moor-titling [(Enanthe nostra tertia),'' of which 

 he gives a very quaint, but recognizable figure. It 

 is probable that Morton was well acquainted with 

 both species, but somewhat puzzled as to which of 

 ihem really remained to brave the severity of our 

 Northamptonshire winters. 



