14 FAMILIAR WILD BLRDS. 



these spots. Any open^ bare^ or stony common^ with a bush 

 here and there, and even the hedges of meadows or arable 

 lands, are visited with more or less frequency. 



The Whinchat is first seen in the eastern and southern 

 parts of this country about the middle of April, and is said 

 to arrive in the more northerly districts some week or fort- 

 night later. It takes its departure either during the end of 

 September or the commencement of the following month, 

 but its movements, both as regards coming and going, 

 depend very much upon the backward or forward state of 

 the season. 



The habits of the Whinchat are very similar to those 

 of^ the Stonechat, excepting in the matter of migration, 

 the latter in very man.y instances spending the winter 

 with us, while the former never does. 



The Whinchat is very sprightly and active in its 

 movements, darting rapidly froi^> bush to bush, and 

 continually uttering its familiar /^'chat/^ "chat,"'-' '^chat.^^ 

 The food consists of flies, beetles, arid other insects, slugs, 

 worjns, caterpillars, and small snails. Flies and other 

 winged food are captured frequently in the air. The fli|^ht 

 is tolerably rapid and easy, and the bird (like the Stonechat) 

 has a peculiar habit of shuffling the w ings an d tail. When 

 disturbed it usually flies to some neighbouring bush, 

 keeping close along the ground until it reaches its next 

 resting place, and then perching itself on the topmost branch. 

 In addition to the note already spoken of the Whinchat 

 has a pleasing song, melodious, though somewhat 

 uncertain; the song is sometimes uttered when the bird 

 is perched on the highest spray of a bush, and sometimes 

 whilst hovering in the air, and often when sitting on 

 telegraph wires. 



