274 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



varies in individual specimens ; some are dark and 

 others quite light coloured in these parts. 



The female is dull brown on the head, nape, and 

 back, the feathers being edged with buff; the rump 

 is brownish, the chin buff, the sides of the neck 

 brownish- white, and the breast and belly duller. 



Situation and Locality. On or near the ground, 

 amongst grass, brambles, at the foot of gorse bushes, 

 and amongst rough, tangled vegetation ; in pastures, 

 grass fields, on furze and heath-covered commons, 

 and ground covered with juniper brambles, boulders, 

 and bushes. The nest is extremely difficult to find ; 

 the example in our illustration was stumbled upon 

 quite by accident on a Suffolk common. It is very 

 local, but breeds more or less in suitable localities 

 all over the British Isles. 



Materials. Boots, moss, and dry grass, with an 

 inner lining of hair, feathers, finer grass, and some- 

 times a little wool. 



Eggs. Four to six, rarely seven, of a pale bluish- 

 green, closely mottled, and especially round the 

 larger end, with reddish-brown spots. Sometimes 

 without any spots at all. Size about '7 by *57 in. 

 Distinguished from the eggs of the Whinchat by 

 Hghter ground colour and more defined markings, 

 also by parent birds. 



Time. April and May. 



Remarks. Resident, but subject to local migra- 

 tion. Notes : it-tic, ii-tic, changing when the young 

 are hatched to chuck, chuck. Local and other 

 names : Stoneclink, Stone Chatter, Stone Smick, 

 Stone Chack, Stonesmith, Chick Stone, Black Cap, 

 Moor Titling, a name generally applied to the 

 Meadow Pipit in some districts. A fairly close 

 sitter, but when at the foot of a furze bush the bird 

 runs for some distance before taking flight. It is 



