VoI 'i9i9 XVI ] Burleigh, Bird-life in Southwestern France. 499 



gradually disappearing. They were always found about open fields or 

 slashings, and although inconspicuous on the ground, their white .rumps 

 caught the eye when in flight. With the exception of a low note of alarm 

 when too closely approached, they were always silent. Occasionally one 

 might be seen on a fence post or on a brush pile, but they seldom left the 

 ground. On October 20 the last bird was seen, feeding at the edge of 

 newly plowed ground. 



7. Saxicola rubetra rubreta (L.). Whinchat. — A scarce summer 

 resident, found invariably about fields or slashings overgrown with briars 

 and furze. Erect, and with nervously jerking tail, they could be seen on the 

 top of a furze bush, dropping occasionally to the ground for food or flying 

 to another bush a short distance away. Usually they were in pairs and 

 always silent. April 26 the first bird was seen, October 13 the last one. 



8. Saxicola torquata rubicola (L.). Stonechat. — -Although less 

 plentiful during the winter months, these birds were seen throughout the 

 year about fields and slashings overgrown with briars and furze. Like the 

 preceding, they remained in the tops of the bushes, dropping to the ground 

 for food, but never remaining there long. On being approached they 

 would fly from bush to bush, uttering a harsh, rolling chatter. On the 20th 

 of May a male was seen in the top of a small tree, singing. The song was a 

 weak, even-toned, drawn-out trill. 



9. Phosnicurus phcenicurus phoenicurus (L.). Redstart. — On 

 April 7 one bird was seen in underbrush bordering a pond. Two were seen 

 on April 16 in alders bordering a small stream, and from then on they grad- 

 ually became plentiful, and were found entirely about houses and sheds. 

 In the town of Mimizan-les-Bains they were much in evidence, singing 

 from the gables of the roofs or from the tops of the chimneys. The song 

 was loud and clear, a short, rich, thrush-like trill. On June 8 fully grown 

 young, out of the nest several days at least, were seen about an unused 

 house. During the summer and early fall these birds became very scarce, 

 and never became very plentiful again. The last one was seen October 13. 



10. Dandalus rubecula rubecula (L.). Robin. — Resident and very 

 plentiful, with their small size, long tilted gray tail and habit of feeding about 

 thickets and brush piles, these birds reminded me much of Wrens. They 

 were found at the edge of the pine woods, but were seen largely in the neigh- 

 borhood of houses. They sang at all times throughout the year, in good 

 weather and bad, although their song, disconnected, of short warbles, trills, 

 and occasional unmusical, wiry notes, was more evident in early spring and 

 late fall, when other birds were largely silent. Their commonest note was 

 a sharp chip. 



11. Luscinia megarhyncha megarhyncha Brehm. Nightingale. 

 — A plentiful summer resident, frequenting thickets and underbrush at 

 the edge of fields and roads. The first bird was seen on April 25, singing 

 from a dense thicket. The song reminded me much of our Catbird's, 

 although it was richer and fuller. By the 28th of April the birds were 

 quite plentiful and many were heard singing. On May 20 the first one 



