RUDDY-BREASTED BIRDS. 93 



in the grass in the shadow of a hedge, beneath a 

 fur/e-bush, or among the heather. Its song, de- 

 livered from a tree or occasionally, in spring-time, 

 on the wing, is like the Throstle's, but on a smaller 

 scale, consisting partly of liquid notes and partly of 

 harsh sounds like the low grumbling of the White- 

 throat, whilst the call-note, ' U-tick ! u-tick-tick ! ' 

 is inserted from time to time. All the Whinchat's 

 movements are abrupt ; the flight is low and hurried ; 

 the bird is ever alert 



STONECH AT-5i inches ; ruddy breaat and white baae of 

 tail like Whinchat, but head and throat black ; lack* 

 the white side-feathers in the tail and the broad white 

 eye-band. 



STONECHAT. Plate 40. 5 J inches. Head, throat, 

 back, wing and tail feathers black or blackish, except 

 bold white patch on wing and white patch covering 

 insertion of tail ; sides of neck white ; breast ruddy - 

 orange. Resident 



Eggs. 5-6, pale bluish-green, speckled minutely 

 with reddish-brown, mostly at the larger end ; 

 7x-58 inch (plate 125). 



Nest. Of dry grass and moss, lined with hair 

 and feathers, and placed in a hollow in the ground 

 among thick herbage, or at the root of a furze-bush. 



Distribution. General throughout the British 

 Isles in suitable places, the bird in winter seeking 

 the milder parts or migrating abroad. 



A very boldly marked little bird, and an in- 

 habitant of furze-grown commons and similar situa- 



