THE STONECHAT AND WHINCHAT 411 



discarded covering was appropriated by sundry birds in the neigh- 

 bourhood. The young were hatched on May 3rd, and did not leave 

 the nest till May 16th, and even then they were not able to fly, but 

 skulked in the long coarse grass till May 25th, which was the first day 

 I actually saw them on the wing. They were still being fed by their 

 parents during the first week in June. 



The cock stonechat may be seen feeding his first family, and 

 continuing their education in its higher branches, while the hen is 

 brooding over the second clutch of eggs ; so that in all probability 

 he does not take much part in the actual incubation. This second 

 brood is sometimes not on the wing till August, for I have seen a 

 pair of old birds feeding young as late as August 5th. 



Birds of the year apparently keep together, for during the 

 autumn migration " young birds are usually reported, occasion- 

 ally an old female, but adult males are scarce." 1 Probably, like 

 the young of the human race, the society of those of their own age is 

 more congenial than that of their elders. 



Although considerable movement takes place amongst our home- 

 bred stonechats during spring and autumn, it is impossible, with our 

 present limited information on this subject, to say whether actual 

 migration to and from abroad takes place. The spring and autumn 

 migrations noted on the Yorkshire coast point in this direction, but 

 may be explained by inland movements. Dr Hartert speaks of our 

 British stonechat as mainly a resident bird, while on the Continent it 

 is chiefly migratory. 2 Dr. N. F. Ticehurst says, " Their summer and 

 winter distribution differ markedly from each other, and in the latter 

 season the numbers are augmented by migrants from inland counties 

 and more northern latitudes. Though there may be localities where 

 stonechats are to be found all the year round, it does not in the least 

 follow that these are the same individuals, and I very much question 

 whether they are so." 3 



1 Birds of Yorkshire, Neilson and Clark, 1907, p. 31. 



2 British Birds, vol. iii. p. 316. See " Classified Notes." 3 Birds of Kent, p. 21. 



