282 BRITISH BIRDS. 



region. As his name implies, he is a bird of the rocky wilderness, and 

 like the Chats and the Redstarts, prefers such situations to more pastoral 

 districts. His winter home in Africa is in the neighbourhood of the Arab 

 burial-places, on the borders of the arid desert the vast and trackless 

 Sahara, the gorges, embankments, rocky bluifs and ravines, and the oases 

 of the desert. 



The Rock-Thrush begins to arrive at its breeding-grounds early in April, 

 most of the birds probably pairing before they quit their winter quarters, 

 as they are usually seen in pairs at the various places they touch at en 

 route, and arrive in pairs at their breeding- stations. Upon one occasion 

 Canon Tristram met with this species on migration during one of his 

 wanderings in the Holy Land, and thus describes the strange and interest- 

 ing sight : " Of the Rock-Thrushes, Petrocincla saxatilis, whose red tail 

 and Redstart-like habits link it most closely with the Ruticillinee, is in 

 most parts of Palestine merely a passing traveller, and tarries but a night. 

 On the 8th of April the whole of Mount Gerizim was covered by a restless 

 flock of these birds, which, at a distance, we took for the Black Redstart, 

 so exactly did they resemble that bird in their actions. They hopped rest- 

 lessly from rock to rock, never taking a flight of more than a few yards ; 

 and in this fashion, in loose order, ranging for perhaps a mile in breadth, 

 they appeared to be steadily proceeding northwards. When the foremost 

 line had reached the valley they took a flight across to the foot of Mount 

 Ebal, over the gardens, and then more leisurely mounted the hill.-" In 

 some instances the male birds are the first to arrive at their summer 

 haunts, notably in the Alpine districts, sometimes preceding the females 

 a week or more. After pairing they remain amongst the rocks of the 

 lower hills, until the snow has left the mountains and made their nursery 

 ready for them. Many of the habits of the Rock -Thrush closely resemble 

 those of the well-known Wheatear. A shy and wary bird, it flits before 

 the observer, alighting on masses of rock, choosing those situations that 

 afford it a good look-out, and from which danger can be most readily 

 detected. Usually seen in pairs, they continue to flit before the observer ; 

 and if he pursues them too closely they retire to some secluded place 

 amongst the rocks, or, by making a long detour, return^to the place from 

 which he disturbed them. Now they may be seen on the ground, or 

 perched Chat-like on old walls and ruins, sitting motionless, and 

 starting rapidly off the instant they are alarmed, the rich and beautifully 

 blended plumage of the male contrasting strongly with his mate's more 

 sober dress. 



Like the Song-Thrush and the Redwing, the Rock-Thrush is essentially 

 an insectivorous bird, and what few berries it does eat are taken as fruit, 

 just as the Blackcap or the Whitethroat will eat currants or raspberries. 

 The Rock-Thrush is often seen upon the ground in search of insects, or 



