470 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



in colour between last and L. m. megarhyncha, has wing same as 

 L. m. megarhyncha but tail longer (73-78 mm.). For differences of 

 L. luscinia see under that species. Uniform rufous-brown upper- 

 parts and chestnut -brown of tail distinguish adults from other 

 species. Juveniles are much like juvenile Common Redstarts but 

 more rufous on upper-parts, central tail-feathers not so dark and 

 other tail-feathers not so chestnut : also resemble juvenile Redbreasts 

 but are whiter on throat and breast, have chestnut -brown tail and 

 different wing -formula. 



FIELD -CHARACTERS. In form, and to some extent in behaviour, 

 a large Redbreast with uniform russet-brown upper -parts, shading 

 into pale chestnut on upper tail-coverts and tail, and ashy -grey 

 under -parts tending to whitish on throat and abdomen. A dweller 

 in woods with thick undergrowth, copses and tangled hedgerows ; 

 would often be overlooked were it not for song, which is of great 

 power and variety of phrase and unique among British birds, an 

 impassioned outpouring impossible to set down in words, its most 

 striking features being a phrase of rich bubbling notes and a single 

 note " piou " repeated perhaps ten times in a wonderful crescendo. 

 Sings from mid-April to mid-June at all hours, but principally 

 at dusk and dawn. Call -note, a soft " weet " ; alarm-note, a 

 hoarse " k-r-r-r." 



BREEDING-HABITS. Nests in little spinneys by roadsides, woods, 

 thickets or sheltered by high hedgerows. Nest. Generally on or 

 close to ground, but occasionally a few feet above it. Foundation 

 bulky, mainly oak or other dead leaves, lined with dead grasses, 

 sometimes hair or a few leaves. Eggs. 4 or 5, exceptionally 6, 

 usually olive-greenish to olive-brown, formed by superimposing 

 thick brown speckling on blue ground. Some eggs show brown 

 markings very distinctly ; rare variety is bright blue, unmarked ; 

 another has brown markings on a dirty white ground. Average 

 size of 100 eggs, 20.5 X 15.5 mm. Breeding-season. begins early 

 May, but many birds do not nest till mid-May. Incubation. 14 

 days (R. Morris), by hen alone, apparently ; but Naumann says 

 cock shares. Single brooded. 



FOOD. Obtained principally on ground ; worms and insects, 

 especially coleoptera. Also larvae of lepidoptera and pupae of 

 ants, diptera and spiders. Fruit and berries also eaten, especially 

 those of elder. 



DISTRIBUTION. England and Wales. Summer-resident (April to 

 mid-Sept.). Generally distributed in suitable places and locally 

 numerous south and east of a line joining Wash and Severn, except 

 in Cornwall and extreme west Somerset, where it is absent, and in 

 Devon, where it is confined to river-valleys a short distance inland 

 from south coast as far west as the Dart. In Hereford, Monmouth, 



