96 THE STONE-CHAT 



stone-chat was continually dancing on the flexible stems 

 of the brambles and woodbine, it seemed to be perfectly 

 happy, uttering now and again its low, cry : Ouip ! tiay, 

 I lay ! Ouij) ! tiay, tiay ! 



The stone-chat builds its nest in waste land, among 

 ihc roots of entangled bushes; it hides its nest caiefully 

 and enters it stealthily, like a lover who fears to be seen 

 when he visits his mistress. The female lays five or six 

 eggs of a bluish green colour, with slight russet-coloured 

 spots ncai- the broader end. As soon as the young ones 

 arc halcluHl, the stono-chat takes great care not to be 

 seen entering or leaving its nest. It never dares to go 

 near it without having made its way through the neigh- 

 bouring bushes, so as to render the search of ill-inten- 

 tioned ])eo])le entirely fruitless, at least as much as lies in 

 its power. \A'hen it leaves its nest, it takes the same precau- 

 tions as on entering it ; it ojides under the branches till it 

 gets to a certain distance, so that one never knows the 

 exact place of its nesting, and it is necessary to search along 

 the whole hedge to be able to discover any trace of it. 



People who are so exceedingly mistrustful are rarely of 

 a very sociable disposition. Excej)t in pairing-time, the 

 stone-chat lives in solitary retirement, u It does not fly in 

 company with others ; it is always alone, » says Belon ; 

 (( nevertheless, in the fields it is easily approached, and 

 only flies to short distances, without appearing to take 

 any notice of the hunter. » 



