456 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



tips rounded. Tail square but outermost feathers shorter than rest, 

 12 feathers, tips somewhat sharply sloped off. Bill fairly strong, 

 somewhat flat at base, tip of upper mandible slightly curved and 

 projecting beyond lower. Nostrils partially covered by membrane 

 and somewhat concealed by short feathers. A few nasal and rictal 

 bristles, the latter stiff. 



Soft parts. Bill, legs and feet black ; iris black-brown. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. 8. t. rubicola (Europe) has paler 

 brown fringes to feathers of upper -parts and rather paler under - 

 parts ; S. t. maura (Caucasus, Persia) is much paler, has white rump 

 and upper tail-coverts and basal half of tail white, also more white 

 on inner secondaries ; S. t. stejnegeri (east Siberia, north China, 

 Japan) has larger bill and only basal quarter of tail-feathers white ; 

 S. t. przewalskii (east Turkestan) much like last but larger. For 

 differences of S. t. indica see under that form. Black or blackish 

 throat, dark upper-parts and want of clearly defined eye-stripe, 

 measurements and wing-formula distinguish Stonechat from Whin- 

 chat. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. Characteristic of heaths and wastes, where it 

 moves restlessly a bout the furze or perches with fussy and assertive 

 alarm-notes, "hweet-chat, hweet-chat," and vibrating tail on top- 

 most twig of furze-bush or clump of ling. In autumn and winter 

 often hunts for food in very different surroundings, e.g., reed-beds 

 and hedgerows. Male recognized by black head, broad white 

 collar and conspicuous white wing-patch. Female and young duller 

 in colour and more like Whinchat, but lack eye-stripe and have 

 reddish, not buff breasts. Song a thin strain, not unlike a Hedge- 

 Sparrow's. 



BREEDING-HABITS. Haunts gorse-grown commons and especially 

 country near sea, railway cuttings, etc. Nest. Well concealed, 

 usually at foot of a clump of gorse, or thick bush, and resting on 

 ground, with sometimes a run leading up to it. Built of moss and 

 grasses, sometimes bits of dead thistle, neatly lined with bents, 

 hair, and sometimes a few feathers. Eggs. 5 or 6, rarely 7, 

 decidedly paler than Whinchat 's and much greener in tone, often 

 with a definite band of fine rusty specks or thickly freckled with 

 them. Average size of 100 British eggs, 18.8 X 14.4 mm. Breeding- 

 season. First eggs are found late in March and early in April, 

 but also in May and even June. Double brooded. Incubation. 

 14 days (Bond) ; apparently by hen alone. 



FOOD. Chiefly insects : coleoptera (Tachyporus, Stemis, Notiophihis, 

 Helophorus, weevils, rove-beetles, etc.) and their larvae; lepidoptera 

 and larvae (including larvae of Noctua and Arctia) ; diptera and 

 larvae, larvae of hymenoptera, orthoptera (Forficula). Also spiders, 

 worms and their eggs. Colthrup records young fed on chalk-hill 



