THE WHINCHAT. 453 



latter's, a clicking " 'tza." Alarm-note, an insistent " u-tic, 

 u-tic-tic." 



BREEDING-HABITS. Usually nests on ground in mowing grass in 

 meadows, or at foot of low bush on hillside. Nest. Built of dry 

 grasses, with moss in foundation, lined with finer bents and hair. 

 Eggs. 5 or more often 6, rarely 7 ; deep bluish-green, generally 

 with numerous very fine speckles of rusty-brown chiefly towards 

 big end. Average of 100 eggs, 18.6x14.3 mm. Breeding-season. 

 From latter part of May and early June. Incubation. 13-14 days, 

 apparently by hen only. Said by Saunders to be double brooded, 

 but this seems very doubtful. 



FOOD. Insects, including coleoptera (Parnus, Haltica, Harpalus, 

 weevils, etc.) ; diptera, larvse of lepidoptera, orthoptera (Forficula), 

 etc. Also spiders and earthworms, and Saunders adds small 

 mollusca. 



DISTRIBUTION. Great Britain. Summer-resident, somewhat local, 

 but widely distributed and in many parts very numerous. Rare 

 Cornwall, very local Orkneys, a rarely observed migrant only 

 in Shetlands ; spring and autumn migrant Fair Isle ; breeds 

 very sparingly O. Hebrides. Ireland. Breeds locally throughout 

 Ulster and in north-east Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon and 

 Longford, scarcer in Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Clare and Cork : 

 elsewhere a rare migrant. Winters on rare occasions both Great 

 Britain and Ireland. 



MIGRATIONS. British Isles. Early arrivals of summer-residents 

 begin end of first week April (early dates Berks. Mar. 6, 1919 ; Wilts. 

 Mar. 13, 1913, Mar. 15, 23, 26, 29) ; main arrival third week 

 April to fourth week May. Passage -migration by east coast route 

 (Channel to northern isles) first few days of May to end first week 

 June. Summer-residents begin to move south in Scotland second 

 week July, at end of month in north England and farther south 

 during Aug. Emigration from south coast fourth week Aug. to 

 fourth week Sept. Passage-movements east coast (northern 

 isles to Channel) mid-Aug. to end Sept. and stragglers in most 

 years to second week Oct. (late dates, Fair Isle, Oct. 15, 1913 ; 

 Inner Dowsing Lt.-v. (Lines.), Oct. 16, 1912 ; Cornwall, Oct. 22, 

 1912 ; Blackwater Bank Lt.-v. (Wexford) Nov. 9, 1890). Irish 

 summer -residents apparently arrive and depart mainly by south- 

 east and east coasts. 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Breeding in Europe, from about lat. 70 

 north in Scandinavia to Mediterranean (in Greece and south and 

 mid -Spain only on passage), wintering in tropical Africa. Replaced 

 by paler forms in south Daimatia, in the Caucasus (perhaps also 

 parts of Persia and Asia Minor), and west Siberia. 



