260 SYLVIADJ5. 



Sweden till the end of the month : and the character of the 

 season exercises great influence in determining the time of 

 the appearance of thjs bird, as well as some others ; the 

 state of vegetation and temperature being generally better 

 indicators than the almanack. 



In some particulars the Redstart resembles the Blue- 

 throat and the Redbreast. It inhabits the skirts of forests, 

 lanes, meadows, orchards and gardens, and is partial to old 

 walls and ruins, particularly if overrun with ivy. The male 

 bird is remarkable for the distribution and purity of the 

 colours of his plumage, and makes himself rather conspicu- 

 ous by perching on the uppermost branch of low trees, 

 moving his tail repeatedly, and singing his soft and sweet 

 song, occasionally taking a short flight to some other 

 prominent station, and singing as he flies. Like most of 

 those birds that are gifted with powers of song, as observed 

 in the account of the Blackbird, the Redstart is also an 

 imitator of the notes of other birds ; and some have been 

 taught, like the Bullfinch, to repeat a tune. Mr. Sweet pos- 

 sessed a Redstart that whistled the Copenhagen Waltz ; and 

 other males of this species have been known to imitate very 

 closely the notes of the Sparrow and Chaffinch, and the 

 songs of the Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. 



The food of the Redstart is worms, beetles and their 

 grubs, flies, spiders, ants and their eggs, fruit and berries. 

 Most of these they seek for on the ground, like the Accentors 

 and Redbreasts ; but they are also frequently seen to 

 capture insects on the wing with as much ease and certainty 

 as the true Flycatchers. 



The nest, which is rather loosely constructed, is formed of 

 moss externally, and lined with hair and feathers : it is occa- 

 sionally placed in a hollow tree, or in a hole in a wall, or 

 behind a branch of a tree that is trained against a wall, and 



