STONECHAT 



57 



two pebbles together ; hence his name of stonechat. But it is a 

 somewhat misleading name. He is not, like the wheatear, an 

 inhabitant of barren stony places, but is seen chiefly on commons 

 abounding in furze-bushes and thorns and brambles. He is seen 

 in pairs, but is nowhere a numerous species, although found in 

 most suitable localities throughout the three kingdoms. He is also 

 to be met with throughout the year, but is much rarer in winter 

 than in summer ; and probably a great many individuals leave the 

 country in autumn, while others seek more sheltered situations to 

 winter in, or have a partial migration. 



The stonechat has a slight, but sweet and very pleasing, song, 

 uttered both when perched and when hovering in the air. Towards 

 the end of March the nest is made, and is placed on or close to the 

 ground, under a thick furze-bush ; it is large, and carelessly made of 

 dry grass, moss, heath and fibrous roots, lined with fine grass, horse- 

 hair, feathers, and sometimes with wool. Five or six eggs are laid, 

 pale green or greenish blue in colour, and speckled at the large end 

 with dull reddish brown. When the nest is approached the birds 

 display the keenest distress. 



Redstart. 

 Ruticilla phcenicurus. 



Forehead white ; 

 head and upper part 

 of back bluish grey; 

 throat black ; breast, 

 tail-coverts, and tail, 

 except the two middle 

 feathers, which are 

 brown, bright bay. 

 Female: upper parts 

 grey deeply tinged 

 with red ; throat and 

 belly whitish ; breast, 

 flanks, and under tail- 

 co verts pale red. 

 Length, five and a 

 quarter inches. 



FIG. 24. REDSTART. natural size. 



