The Whinchat. 35 



beetle, but the offensive red ink flavour of this insect was too much for it, and 

 it turned away in disgust after tasting the first sample : berries, which (I 

 believe) the Whinchat has been credited with eating, and red or white currants, 

 it refused even to glance at. 



The nidification of the Whinchat commences early in May and I have seen 

 nests of fresh eggs which were taken quite a month later ; but, in that case, 

 the first nests had been robbed : although this species has been stated to be 

 double-brooded, the evidence in support of that belief requires confirmation ; the 

 male bird certainly ceases to sing in July ; this, one would not expect to be the 

 case, unless it had concluded its domestic duties. The nest is usually placed on 

 the ground among grass or heather ; sometimes in the middle of a field or 

 under shelter of a hedge, frequently under a furze bush, either on the ground 

 or just above it among the branching stems ; it is a large and rather loose 

 structure formed of bents, fibrous roots and sometimes a little moss, and is lined 

 with fine dry grass and hair. 



The eggs vary from four to six, the latter being the usual number ; they 

 are greenish blue, in tint not unlike those of the Hedge Accentor, but generally 

 of a less perfect oval, the larger, as well as the smaller extremity being some- 

 what pointed ; the}^ are finely speckled with reddish brown, the dots forming a 

 pale zone round the larger end. The parents are very wary in discovering the 

 position of their treasures, and will not approach the nest when they discover 

 the presence of an intruder ; but, if by chance you wander towards it, they fly 

 round 3^our head in the greatest anxiety uttering a thin dismal cry, which to 

 me sounded like the word tsivce, varied at times by their call note u-lic : I have 

 also seen them drop on the grass and scramble along as if injured, apparently 

 with the object of inviting pursuit ; a trick which, did they but know it, only 

 renders the birds'-nester more satisfied that he is on the right scent. 



The fiight of the Whinchat is graceful and undulating, and during the 

 breeding- season consists of short journeys from bush to bush, varied by aerial 

 evolutions in pursuit of gnats or other small winged insects. Suddenly it swoops 

 downwards as it perceives some tin}' beetle on a grass stem, to which as it seizes 

 its prey, it clings for a moment with fluttering wings, then darts away to the 

 topmost spray of a whin bush, and watches with ever springing tail for another 

 victim. To the novice in the study of bird-life this active little fellow is a 

 revelation. 



Seebohm says : " Although the Whinchat so often chooses a perch near the 

 ground, it by no means shuns the trees, and especially towards the end of 

 summer, it is seen with its young brood high up amongst the branches. The 



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