120 COMMON REDSTART. 



it has disappeared without apparent cause, unless 

 from hedges occupying the place of stone walls, 

 and in greater attention being paid to the man- 

 agement of woods. It frequents the skirts of 

 woods and plantations, particularly those of con- 

 siderable age, the vicinity of old gardens and 

 orchards, and extensive parks, where there are 

 shades for cattle, and bounding walls rather in a 

 state of neglect, and where the trees have been 

 allowed to find their own decay ; in the holes of 

 these, and sometimes in banks, it places its rather 

 loosely constructed nest, and remains during the 

 period of incubation almost close to the spot. 

 They are found in pairs together, and from their 

 quick, but silent and deliberate motions, they 

 give an impression of solitariness. The male 

 generally perches on some standing out branch 

 of a hedge or bush, shaking its tail with a peculiar 

 trembling motion, and when disturbed, flits or 

 falls, as it were, and flies rapidly along the edge 

 of the cover, to some other suitable resting-place. 

 In this it reminds us of the kind of flight pre- 

 valent among the Saxicolae, often like them seek- 

 ing a screen by flying on the side of the enclosure 

 away from the observer. The spot chosen for 

 the nest is another point of resemblance. The 

 song is low toned and sweet, but not of much 

 compass. Fruits and berries are eaten as well as 

 insects. The latter are occasionally taken on the 

 wing, by an excursion from the perch, somewhat 

 similar to the manner of the Spotted Flycatcher. 

 On the middle and southern parts of the Con- 



