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RUTICILLA PHG:NICURUS 
LocaL names in surrounding counties: ‘“ Firetail” 
(Essex). 
Status 1N British Avirauna: A somewhat local 
summer migrant to most parts of England; much rarer 
in Scotland, and abnormal in Ireland. 
RapiAL DisrriBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: The Redstart cannot be described as common 
or even of frequent occurrence in the Metropolitan area. 
There are few places where it breeds except in the most 
remote suburbs, and even there the bird is a local one. 
On migration it is sometimes noticed in Battersea, 
Regent’s, and Hyde Parks; but it is more frequently 
seen in the Wimbledon and Richmond districts, about 
Kew and Bushey, Osterley, Acton, Wembley, the northern 
woodlands (Hampstead, &c.), Epping, Wanstead, the 
Kentish Crays, Croydon, Banstead, and Epsom. I have 
seen it in Wimbledon Park during summer, and it is 
said to have nested at Streatham and Dulwich. ‘There 
are many localities, of course, in which the Redstart may 
be met with, but sufficient have been mentioned to 
indicate its widespread yet local dispersal. A migrant 
like the Redstart might be noticed almost anywhere 
when on passage ; it 1s too conspicuous easily to be over- 
looked, but the lack of records from many localities seems 
to confirm the fact of its scarcity close to the city. 
The Redstart reaches the south of England early in 
April, and it is during this month that examples are 
occasionally seen in inner London, or during August and 
September, when the return journey is made. Round 
London its usual summer haunts are large gardens, 
pleasure-grounds, the borders of woods and coppices, 
and parks, especially those where old and hollow trees are 
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