44 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



during his spring change of plumage, he crept into a log-nest and died : I am 

 afraid that, in spite of abundant insect food, the cold of that winter was rather 

 too much for him ; yet he was bright and active to the last day of his life, 

 showing no symptoms of distressed breathing, or any other signs of impending 

 dissolution. 



Family TURDID/E. Subfamily TURDINsE. 



THE BLACK REDSTART. 



Ruticilla titys, SCOP. 



RESPECTING the geographical distribution of the Black Redstart, Seebohin 

 writes: "In the south it extends from Portugal through Algeria to 

 Palestine. Northwards its range becomes more restricted, and apparently does not 

 extend east of the valleys of the Dneister and the Vistula or north of Holstein. 

 In autumn stragglers have been known to occur in West Russia, Scandinavia, the 

 north of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the Faroes (on the authority of Captain 

 Feilden), and even, it is said, as far as Iceland. North of the Alps it is for the 

 most part a migratory bird, though a few are known to frequent situations where 

 open water is to be found during the winter. South of the Alps it is found 

 throughout the year, its numbers being increased during winter, its range at that 

 season extending as far south as Nubia." "As the Black Redstart very rarely 

 occurs in Norfolk, and has not been recorded from the Lincolnshire coast, it 

 seems probable that the birds which visit our islands come from Holland, where 

 it is exceedingly common, and follow the coast, choosing the shortest passage 

 across the Channel." 



This is an autumn and winter visitant to our southern coasts, being most com- 

 monly met with in Devon and Cornwall ; but whether it really remains to breed 

 with us has been questioned : eggs supposed to belong to this bird have, from 



