THE REDSTARTS. 287 



by a few days, and it is then that the birds are mostly observed, 

 for at other times they are very shy and retiring in their habits. 

 After the males have arrived they may be seen, sometimes in 

 some numbers, on the outskirts of the woods in our southern 

 counties, flitting along in front of the observer, and either perch- 

 ing on the fences or the trees. At such times the red tail 

 renders the bird a conspicuous object, and it is from the bright 

 colour of this organ that the species gets its common name of 

 " Fire-tail" in many parts of England. The tail is expanded, 

 and moved up and down with a fanning motion, which causes 

 the bird to be easily observed. As soon as the females have 

 arrived, the birds disperse themselves over the country for the 

 nesting-season, and are then not so easy of observation, and 

 the quiet way in which the birds disappear after the breeding- 

 season has been remarked by more than one writer. The Red- 

 start haunts old ruins, in the holes of which it makes its nest, 

 but it also builds in holes of trees and walls, and in queer 

 places, such as a Robin sometimes selects. The nest, however, 

 with its pretty blue eggs, is always well concealed. The birds 

 evince great affection for a chosen site, and will not easily 

 desert it, even if the eggs are taken more than once. 



The song of the Redstart is not very powerful or varied, and 

 is far inferior to that of the Warblers, but, like some of the 

 latter, it sings at night. In many of its ways it resembles a 

 Flycatcher, especially in its habit of catching insects by darting 

 after them in the air, and in this way it sometimes catches a 

 passing butterfly. 



Nest. Made of dry grass and moss, with a little wool, and 

 lined with hair and feathers. It is a loosely-made and in- 

 artistic structure. 



Eggs. From five to six in number, but sometimes as many 

 as eight. The colour is pale blue. Axis, o'65-o'85 ; diam., 



THE BLACK REDSTART. RUTICILLA TITYS. 

 (Plate XXIV,} 



Motacilla phcenicura, B. titys, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 335. 

 Ruticilla tithys, Macg., Br. B., ii., p. 311 (1839); Seeb., Cat. 

 B.Brit. Mus, v., p. 339 (1881); id. Br. B., i, p. 293 (1883). 



