THE STONECHAT. 291 



white ; and there is a mate, of whom and her promised brood the bird is as fond, and for 

 them he lias as much forsaken tlie society of other birds, as tlie most exemplary of the 

 human race could possibly do. He watches early and late, and endeavours to divert any 

 one that passes from the retreat of his charge. He renders it unnecessary for the dam to 

 leave the eggs when they might be injured by the cold and damp, for he fears her moving 

 and roving while the air is cold ; but in order that she may not suffer by the experiment, 

 he takes her place a short while during the warmth of the day, while she exercises her 

 feet and wings a little, and finds a snail, perhaps, from the all-supplying earth. 



Yet, for these assiduities to his brood, the "VVheatear has been made in the northern 

 parts of Britain, and in places still farther to the north, the victim of superstition. Old 

 and young continue to kill and persecute these birds, and to destroy their eggs, considering 

 the service as one of more than ordinary merit." 



As a general rule, the nest of the Wheatear is hidden in the most perfect manner, the 

 bird ordinarily choosing to place its domicile within the recesses of large stone heaps, in 

 deep rocky crannies, and in similar localities ; so that, even if it should be discovered, the 

 work of obtaining it is very severe. In some parts of the cliff-bound sea-coast, the 

 Wheatear's nest is so deeply buried in the rocky crevices, that the only mode of obtaining 

 the eggs is to hook out the nest by means of a bent wire at the end of a long stick. In 

 my early nest-hunting expeditious I used to obtain such deeply hidden eggs by putting a 

 little bird-lime on the end of a fishing-rod, twisting it carefully upon each egg severally, 

 and drawing it out of the hole before it could be disengaged from the tenacious substance 

 by which it was held. 



Mr. Yarrell mentions that the Wheatear is not always so cautious, but that it will 

 often make its nest in the interior of ralibit burrows, at no great distance from the opening. 

 It is a curious circumstance that the "Wheatear lias a habit of collecting little stallcs of 

 the common brake, and permitting them to project from the hole in which the nest is 

 built, so that it leaves a sign by which the presence of the nest may be discovered. The 

 eggs of the Wheatear are rather rounded in form, and their colour is of the palest and 

 most delicate lilue, in which a few dark spots may be discovered by a close investigation. 

 Their number is from four to six. 



The colouring of the Wheatear is bold and pleasing. The upper part of the body is 

 light silver-grey, and the quill-feathers of the wings, together with their coverts, are deep 

 black. The middle tail-feathers and the tips of the various rectrices are of the same hue, 

 and a black streak passes from the edge of the beak to the ear, enveloping the eye, and 

 spreading widely upon the ear-coverts. The breast is buff, with a decided orange tinge, 

 and the abdomen is beautifully white. The female is not quite so handsome ; the wings, 

 tail, and ear-coverts being dark brown, and the lighter portions of the body tinged with 

 brown. The total length of the bird is about six inches and a half. 



The Stonec'HAT is one of the birds that remain in England throughout the year, being 

 seen during the winter months among the furze-covered commons which are now rapidly 

 becoming extinct. 



The name of Chat is earned by the liird in consequence of its extreme volubility, for it 

 is one of the noisiest birds in existence. Its song is low and sweet, and may be heard to 

 great advantage, as the bird is not at all shy, and, trusting to its powers of concealment, 

 sings merrily until the spectator has approached within a short distance, and then, dropping 

 among the furze, glides quickly through the prickly maze, and rises at some distance, 

 ready to renew its little song. It is a lively bird, ever on the move, flitting from place to 

 place with i-estless activity, and ever and anon uttering its sweet strains. Even in the 

 winter months the Stonechat will make itself audible as it flutters about the furze-grown 

 spots in which it loves to live. It is in these localities that it finds its supply of winter 

 food, for the thick furze-bushes afford shelter to various worms and insects, and the little 

 Chat is able to procure a plentiful meal by digging in the damp ground. 



It is rather difficult to force a Stonechat to leave its shelter, and a shower of missiles 

 generally has the effect of making it keep closer within its concealment. This little bird 

 has the facultv of making a patch of furze very livelv, for it pops in and out in a quick 



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