67 



STONECHAT. 



STONEC HATTER. STONECLINK. STONE SMITH. MOOR TITLING. BLACK CAP. 



PLATE CXII. 



Sylvia rubicola, PENNANT. 



Motacilla Tschecautschia, GMELIN. 



Motacilla rubicola, MONTAGU. BEWICK. 



Saxicola rubicola, FLEMING. SELBT. 



(Enantlie nostra tertia, RAT. WILLTTGHBY. 



THESE birds pair in March, and commence building towards the end 

 of that month. 



The nest, which is large and loosely put together, and composed of 

 moss, dry grass, and fibrous roots, or heath, lined with hair and feathers, 

 and sometimes with wool, is placed among the grass or other herbage 

 at the bottom of a furze or other bush, or in the bush itself, as also 

 in heather, and even occasionally in some neighbouring hedge, adjoining 

 the open ground which the bird frequents. It is exceedingly difficult 

 to find, on account of its situation in the middle of a cluster of whin 

 bushes such not admitting of the most easy access the female also 

 sitting very close, and, when off the nest, being very watchful of all 

 your movements, hopping quickly from bush to bush, and disappearing 

 suddenly by retreat into cover. 



The eggs, generally five or six in number, rarely seven, are of a 

 pale greyish or greenish blue colour, the larger end minutely speckled 

 with dull reddish brown. They are laid the middle or latter end of 

 April, sometimes in the earlier part of that month; and have been 

 known so late as the 12th. of July perhaps a second brood. 



One variety is grounded with a dull greyish green, marked with very 

 small pale dull reddish spots all over. 



