466 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



adult female as described above tinder first winter and summer 

 male. 



Measurements and structure. — (^ wing 81-90 mm., tail 58-64, 

 tarsus 21-24, bill from skull 13.5-15 (12 measured). $ wing 80-86. 

 Primaries : 1st 5-9 mm. longer than primary-coverts, 4th and 5th 

 longest, 3rd occasionally equal but usually 1-2 shorter, 6th 2-5 

 shorter, 2nd 10-12 shorter ; 3rd to 6th primaries emarginated 

 outer webs. Rest of structure as in Common Redstart. 



Soft parts. — Bill, legs, and feet black ; iris black-brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — Ph. o. ochrurus (northern Asia 

 Minor) male has chestnut belly and axillaries and female is paler 

 brown on under -parts than in Ph. o. gibaltariensis ; Ph. o. semirufa 

 (mountains of Syria and Palestine) male is much as in Ph. o. 

 ochrurus but chestnut extends rather farther up breast and female 

 is scarcely distinguishable from that of Ph. o. gibraltariensis ; Ph. o. 

 phoenicuroides (N. and E. Persia to Kashmir) male has chestnut 

 still farther extended, mantle is not so black and fore-part of crown 

 is whitish, female is paler brown especially on under-parts ; Ph. o. 

 rufiventris (Tibet eastwards) male is much like last but has 

 darker brown upper-parts and female is darker and rufous on flanks. 

 Chestnut rump and tail, white wing-patch of adult male and brown 

 under-parts of female and young male distinguish Black Redstart 

 from other British birds. 



Field-characters. — A winter-visitor to this country. Any Red- 

 start occurring between October and March is a presumptive 

 Black Redstart, particularly if it be seen about sea -cliffs or the 

 beach. Characters distinguishing it from Common Redstart are 

 given under that species. Song somewhat resembles Common 

 Redstart's, but is uttered as if with difficulty and has some hissing 

 notes (Hartert). Call-note a soft "sit" or " fitz " (Saunders). 

 Alarm-note " feed-teck-teck " (Hartert). 



Breeding-habits. ^ — In some districts almost always inside farm 

 sheds or on rafters under eaves ; in others in clefts of rocks, while 

 in towns it may be found in holes of inhabited buildings. Nest. — • 

 Loosely built of dry grasses, moss, fibre, etc., lined with hair and 

 feathers. Eggs. — 5-6, glossy white, rarely with tinge of bluish or 

 faint brown spots. Average size of 100 eggs, 19.4x14.3 mm. 

 Br ceding -season. — From end April onward according to altitude. 

 Incubation. — Chiefly at any rate by hen, and lasts 13 days 

 (Naumann). Double brooded. 



Food. — Mainly insects, especially small coleoptera, but diptera, 

 hymenoptera and lepidoptera and their larvse, etc., also taken. 

 Naumann adds spiders and millipedes (Jtdiis) and states that 

 berries are only eaten during hard weather. Saunders says small 

 crustaceans are taken by birds wintering on coast. 



