262 THE COMMON REDSTART. 



nightingale's, has given rise most probably to its name of Wall Nightingale, 

 which it has in common with the following species. Its song certainly 

 cannot enter into comparison with that of the nightingale, for it is sad, 

 and consists of only three strains, the middle one scarcely more than 

 croaking ; the other two may boast of a few high clear tones ; it may be 

 heard from early in the morning till night. It is always gay and active, 

 its motions light and nimble ; it shakes its tail quickly from side to side at 

 every hop or spring, and utters continually the cry "fitza* /" 



THE COMMON REDSTART. 



Motacilla Phcenicurus, LINNAEUS ; Le Rossignol de muraille, BUFFON ; Das 

 Gemeiner Oder Garten-Rothschwanzchen, BECHSTEIN. 



ITS length is five inches and a quarter, of which the tail 

 measures two and a quarter. The beak is five lines, the tip 

 is blunt, black on the outside, yellow within and at the 

 corners ; the iris is black ; the shanks are of the same colour, 

 and ten lines high ; the base of the upper mandible and cheeks 

 are black, as also the throat, but this is speckled with white ; 

 the white on the front of the head unites with a streak of the 

 same colour, which extends above the eyes ; the back of the 

 head and neck, the back and lesser wing-coverts, are dark ash 

 grey tinged with a reddish colour ; the rump, breast, and sides, 

 are red inclining to orange. 



The female is very different, very much resembling that of 

 the black redstart, yet its colours are rather lighter. The 

 upper part of its body is reddish ash grey ; the whitish throat 



* In sitting on house eaves, and singing in the autumn, it performs a similar 

 part in Germany to the redbreast in Britain. No redbreast on the Continent 

 becomes familiar about the house like ours; they keep always in the woods 

 TRANSLATOR. 



