290 BRITISH BIRDS. 



its ripening, to prey upon the soft milky grain, as the Pipits and the 

 Willow- Warblers will do. 



Although the Redstart's song may be a pleasing one, it is not to be 

 compared with the warblings of the Blackcap, or even the Whitethroat, 

 or the sweet little performance of the Willow- Warbler. To hear the 

 Redstart's song to best advantage, a visit should be made to his haunts 

 early in April : and the earlier in the day the better ; for the music of all 

 birds is best at, or directly after, sunrise. The song bears a striking 

 resemblance to the loud and varied notes of the Wren ; yet it wants their 

 vigour and sprightliness, and is somewhat monotonous. It may well be 

 described as a low, weak, Wren's song, without any of that dashing 

 vivacity which seems to be characteristic of the music of that active little 

 creature. It may also be noticed that the Redstart, directly after its arrival 

 in April, seeks the tree-tops for his orchestra ; but as the summer comes on 

 this habit is lost, and the bird warbles from a lower perch, usually in the 

 neighbourhood of his nest. At this time of the year the bird will sing at 

 night, very often supplementing his day-performance with a few strains 

 under a midnight sky. The Redstart sings as he flies. Sometimes he 

 launches into the air, as though bent on insect-capture ; but it is merely to 

 warble forth his little unattractive song, and he again returns to his perch. 

 Not unfrequently he will chant his music when flying from one perching- 

 place to another. As the summer passes on his music is heard less 

 frequently and in still more subdued tones, until finally it ceases, a little 

 before the period of the autumnal moult, never more to be renewed until 

 the time of courtship awakens his powers of song anew. In confinement 

 the bird will sing equally well by night as by day, and will readily 

 imitate various songs and notes, like the Starling. The call-notes of the 

 Redstart are varied according to circumstances. Thus its regular call-note 

 is a sharply uttered weet-tit-tit, something like n Stonechat's. Its notes 

 in the pairing-season are low guttural warblings, confined to the male 

 alone, and usually uttered as they chase each other through the air; 

 and if you threaten its nest, its alarm-note is peculiarly low and sweet, 

 very much like the call of the Willow-Warbler, a plaintive whit. 



May is the Redstart's nesting-season. We must not seek its nest 

 amongst the branches, nor yet amidst the brambles or vegetation on the 

 ground, but always in some hole well protected from the wind : holes in 

 walls and trees are, as a rule, selected ; but most peculiar sites are some- 

 times chosen for example, gate-posts, flower-pots, and crevices under 

 the eaves. Indeed, in this respect the Redstart is almost as famous as 

 the Robin. The Woodpecker, if the nesting-hole is not quite suitable, 

 alters it accordingly, or, if holes be scarce, makes one itself with its strong 

 beak ; but the Redstart does no such thing. The graceful birch tree 

 or the mountain-ash very often affords a nesting-hole, whilst in the old 



