SAXICOLA RUBICOLA. 287 



specks. The eggs of the three chats Lear a marked similarity, 

 from which they might be identified, as well as by their cry or 

 fidgety jerking of tail and body and restless flight. It is about 

 the same size as the last, 5 J by 9 inches ; tail and wings shorter. 

 Like many birds, the male has a summer and a winter dress. In 

 spring the head and throat become black (from which it takes its 

 name). Sides of the neck, upper parts of the wings, and rump 

 white ; front of the neck and breast light brownish-red ; back 

 black, feathers edged with light brown ; wings and tail, brownish- 

 black. This is its courting garb, for at this time the head is 

 jet-black and the breast almost as red as a robin's, which bird 

 it resembles ; in autumn and winter the head and throat become 

 brownish-red, and the breast darker red. The female similar 

 to the winter plumage of the male ; iris, brown ; bill and feet, 

 black. 



If the white rump's nest is ill to get, this one is worse, for 

 it is often in the centre of a clump of whins or furze, near the 

 roots, and covered with long grass. I have been baffled to find 

 it, though I knew I was near it. On June 1 4 th, 1855, I saw 

 a pair on the outskirt of whins at Priormuir — the female had 

 food in her bill for her young ; yet, although I waited an hour 

 watching, she would not go to her nest, but, along with the male, 

 restlessly flitted from twig to twig — both of them chick-c) hacking 

 all the time, so, fairly baffled, I left. On Tentsmuir, in May, 

 I have watched them, in the midst of heather, flitting from twig- 

 to twig of the highest heath in the middle of the Muir, where 

 there was neither whin, shrub, dyke, or stone for miles around — 

 yet I was baffled, the birds are so restlessly wary, and their 

 nest so artfully concealed, which proves that the name of stone 

 chat does not apply, at least on Tentsmuir. In severe winters I 

 have seen fifty flitting about the west sands and at Eden, in 

 small parties of four and five. I shot two on December 13th, 

 amongst the sea-weed close to the links. I stuffed them, and 

 have them still. It had been frost for a week, and the country 

 covered with snow, which shows that the sea-beach is a God-send 

 to birds in hard times. On the 26th January, I shot a male on 

 a heap of manure near Guardbridge ; and on February 3rd, I saw 

 several on the west sands, near a flock of snow buntings. I 

 merely mention these facts, as Macgillivray and others say they 

 are rare in Scotland in winter, which proves that at certain times 

 they are not so about St Andrews. The next allied genus is 

 Erythacus — the robin being the type, and the only representative 

 in Britain. 



