462 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Characters and allied forms. — Ph. ph. algeriensis (Algeria) 

 has 6th primary longer than 2nd, but this is occasionally so in 

 typical form and algeriensis appears a questionable form of which 

 I have examined only 2 examples ; Ph. ph. mesoleuca (Caucasus, 

 Asia Minor, Persia) male has outer webs of primaries narrowly, 

 and of secondaries broadly, edged white. Chestnut rump and 

 tail distinguish Redstart from other sj)ecies except Black Red- 

 start which is always much darker. 



Field-characters. — Bright chestnut-red tail, very conspicuous 

 in flight, distinguishes Redstarts from all other British birds. 

 Pure white fore-head and copper-red breast of adult male Common 

 Redstart contrast with black breast and broad white wing-patch 

 of Black Redstart. Females are more alike, but Black Redstart 

 is darker, throat, breast and flanks being mouse-grey, whereas 

 Common Redstart has white throat and abdomen and rufous- 

 bufE flanks. Juvenile Common Redstart is brownish-grey above, 

 mottled with dull yellow, but juvenile Black Redstart resembles 

 adult female. Common Redstart frequents woodlands, especially 

 where there is old timber, and open hilly country, where it haunts 

 stone walls and the buildings about upland farms. The short song, 

 a few jerky notes succeeded by a bubbling roll, seems to break off 

 before completion, a prelude rather than a finished strain. Call- 

 note a plaintive " wheet." Alarm-note a loud " whee-tic-tic." 



Breeding-habits. — In south generally nests in hole of tree or 

 stump, sometimes almost on ground, or at a good height ; also in 

 walls and occasionally in old sheds or outhouses. Farther north 

 a common site is in loose stone walls. Old Woodpecker holes. 

 Swallows' nests and discarded tins have been used as nesting-sites. 

 Nest. — Built of grasses, strips of bark, moss, roots and lined with 

 hair and feathers. Eggs. — Normally 6, sometimes 5 or 7, rarely 

 8 or 9, delicate pale blue, but occasionally speckled with dark red- 

 brown. Average of 100 eggs, 18.3 X 13.8 mm. Breeding-season. — 

 Occasionally early May but usually from mid-May onward. 

 Incubation. — Lasts 14 days (Evans), performed chiefly by hen, 

 if not altogether. Most birds apparently single brooded. 



Food. — Mainly insects : coleoptera (including Phyllohius), smaller 

 lepidoptera and their larvae (especially larvae of Tortrices), diptera 

 and hymenoptera (larvae of saw-flies, etc.). Spiders also taken and 

 small worms have been found in stomach. Young fed chiefly on 

 caterpillars. Naumann states that berries (red and black elder, 

 juniper, etc.) are eaten. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Summer-resident (late March 

 to Oct.), widely distributed, but local. Uncommon as nester west 

 of Exeter (Devon) and unusual in Cornwall. Scotland. — Widely 

 distributed but local. Rare as nester in extreme north of mainland, 

 has not bred Orkneys and only once Shetlands (1901), but is well 



