302 BRITISH BIRDS. 



again, on the upland sheep-pastures, wool very frequently forms the lining 

 of the nest, the bird utilizing those materials which its haunts supply. 

 During the whole nesting-season, from the time the first bit of nest-mate- 

 rial is laid, the old birds are excessively wary, and rarely betray the exact 

 site of their nest. Although the birds may frequent its locality, be inces- 

 santly seen on one old stone-heap or peat-stack, telling you plainly by 

 their actions that their treasure is there, it is only the most careful 

 watching and patience combined that will cause the birds to reveal 

 their nesting-hole; and to search for the nest by turning over the stones 

 or peat is a task far more likely to lead to failure than success. 



The eggs of the Wheatear are from four to seven in number ; but six seems 

 the average clutch. They are pale greenish blue, elongated in form, and 

 usually spotless. Occasionally, however, they are found with markings 

 upon them, usually confined to a few faint purplish specks on the larger 

 end, sometimes so indistinct and fine as to be scarcely perceptible, unless 

 examined closely. The eggs vary in length from '95 to '79 inch, and 

 in breadth from '65 to '6 inch. 



The young birds are tended by their parents for some considerable time 

 after leaving the nest ; and when an intruder happens to disturb a family- 

 party, their actions are full of interest. The young birds, not so strong 

 on the wing as their parents, and more confiding, alight close to the 

 observer; and the old birds fly at a considerable height in the air in 

 circles round his head, all the time uttering a short plaintive note. 

 Sometimes, when suddenly alarmed, a brood of young Wheatears will 

 scatter and hide themselves, taking refuge under the herbage or in holes 

 of walls and rocks; but this usually happens when they are not suffi- 

 ciently matured to trust to their wings to convey them out of danger. 



Although the Wheatear's colours are somewhat chaste, still their bold 

 contrast, and the manner in which they are distributed, make the bird a 

 very pretty one. In summer the male bird's upper plumage is slaty grey, 

 with white rump and black and white tail ; from the bill to the eye and 

 over the entire ear-coverts is a black baud, surmounted by an eye-stripe 

 of white ; the wings are black and dark brown ; and the whole under 

 surface of the body is buff, deepest on the throat and breast ; legs, bill, 

 and feet black ; irides dark brown. The female bird is sandy brown, darkest 

 above ; and the wings and tail are similar to those of the male. Young 

 birds are like the female, but are spotted both above and below. After the 

 moult in autumn the male and female are almost alike; for the pale 

 buff margins to the feathers of the former hide the slate-grey portions of 

 the feather, and the underparts are darker. As the winter passes on 

 these buff margins apparently die and drop off, whilst the rest of the feather 

 seems to acquire new life and an additional intensity of colour, so that 

 without a second moult they appear in early spring in full nuptial dress. 



