Fig. 29. 



28 BRITISH BIRDS 



smaller sometimes absent. Female duller, with yellow buff 

 eye-stripe. In autumn the male is much like the female. 



Nest. Place : usually commons or heaths, on or near the 

 ground in grass, or at the bottom of a bush. Material : 

 grasses, moss, &c., with lining of finer grass or hair. 



Eggs. Usually 5-6. Greenish-blue spotted rust colour. 

 Av. size, '73 x "56 in. Laying begins in May. Broods 1-2. 



48. Stone chat [Saxicola torquata hibernans (Hartert) ; Pratin- 

 cola rubicola (Linnseus)]. Resident and local. 



Bird. Length 5J in. The male has the head and back, chiefly 

 black, contrasted with white patch on the 

 tail-coverts (not tail itself as whinchat), 

 wing, and neck. Under-parts mostly chest- 

 nut and buff. Female differs conspicuously, 

 having the head and upper-parts brown 

 with darker markings, little or no white 

 on the neck, and the under-parts duller. 

 In winter the black of the male becomes 

 brown. The young are much like the 

 female. 

 Nest. Place : usually commons or heaths, in heather, grass, 



or at the foot of a bush. Material: moss, grass, &c., lined 



usually with finer grass and hair. 



Eggs. Usually 5-6. Pale bluish-green with rusty brown spots. 



Av. size, '74 x -57 in. Laying begins March-April. Broods 1-2. 



49. Redstart Phcenicurus phcenicurus phcenicurus (Linnseus) ; 

 Ruticilla phcenicurus (Linnaeus)]. Summer visitor to most 

 woodland districts. Rare in Ireland. Bird of passage. 



Bird. Length 5J in. The male, in summer, is recognised by 

 the white forehead contrasting with the 

 jet black of the sides of the face, the 

 throat, and the neck. Lower rump and 

 tail-coverts chestnut, tail the same but 

 duller. Rest of the upper-parts slate- 

 grey. Breast and flanks chestnut. The 

 female differs in having the upper-parts a 

 uniform brownish-grey. Under-parts dull 

 white, except the forebreast and flanks, 

 which are buff with a rufous tinge. Tail, tail-coverts, and 

 rump as in male. The young resemble female, but have the 

 upper- and under-parts mottled. 



Nest. Place : hole in a tree or wall, sometimes on the ground 

 under cover, also in odd places, flower-pots, &c. Material : dry 

 grasses, rootlets, &c., lined with horse-hair and feathers. 



Eggs. Usually 5-7. Pale blue, occasionally spotted with 

 red-brown. Av. size, f 79 x '55 in. Laying begins in May. 



Fig. 30. 



