270 SYLVIAD^. 



the third week, but does not reach the southern part of 

 Sweden till the end of the month : and the character of the 

 season exercises great influence in determining the time of 

 the appearance of this bird, as well as some others ; the 

 state of vegetation and temperature being generally better 

 indicators than the almanack. 



In some particulars the Redstart resembles the Blue- 

 throat and the Redbreast. It inhabits the skirts of forests, 

 lanes, meadows, orchards, and gardens, and is partial to old 

 walls and ruins, particularly if overrun with ivy. The male 

 bird is remarkable for the distribution and purity of the 

 colours of his plumage, and makes himself rather con- 

 spicuous by perching on the uppermost branch of low 

 trees, moving his tail repeatedly, and singing his soft and 

 sweet song, occasionally taking a short flight to some 

 other prominent station, and singing as he flies. Like 

 most of those birds that are gifted with powers of song, as 

 observed in the account of the Blackbird, the Redstart is 

 also an imitator of the notes of other birds ; and some 

 have been taught, like the Bullfinch, to repeat a tune. Mr. 

 Sweet possessed a Redstart that whistled the Copenhagen 

 Waltz ; and other males of this species have been known 

 to imitate very closely the notes of the Sparrow and Chaf- 

 finch, and the songs of the Garden Warbler and Lesser 

 Whitethroat. 



The food of the Redstart is worms, beetles and their 

 grubs, flies, spiders, ants and their eggs, fruit and berries. 

 Most of these they seek for on the ground, like the Accen- 

 tors and Redbreasts ; but they are also frequently seen to 

 capture insects on the wing with as much ease and certainty 

 as the true Flycatchers. 



The nest, which is rather loosely constructed, is formed 

 of moss externally, and lined with hair and feathers : it is 

 occasionally placed in a hollow tree, or in a hole in a wall, 



