REDSTART. 41 



residence, arriving here the beginning or middle of April; in 

 Scotland not till the latter end of that month, or the 

 beginning of May. It has once been known on the 25th. 

 of March. It retires again in August or September. On its 

 first arrival it betakes itself to gardens or the neighbourhood 

 of old walls. 



The Eedstart, though a bird of rather wary and retired 

 habits, notwithstanding which, however, it frequently comes 

 to build in towns and villages, is easily tamed, and becomes 

 much attached to the person that feeds it, alighting on the 

 hand in some instances, and eating out of it: one pair have 

 been known to build in confinement. It has a habit of 

 frequently shaking its tail, with an up-and-down motion, the 

 feathers being laterally expanded at the same time; it also 

 frequently dips the body up and down, particularly if appre- 

 hensive of the approach of any danger, often uttering a quick 

 shrill note the while, and if disturbed falls, as it were, and 

 glides along the opposite edge of the nearest cover to some 

 neighbouring resting-place, to screen itself from observation. 



It advances on the ground by a series of leaps. 



Its food consists of fruits and berries, currants, raspberries, 

 elderberries, and others; ants and their eggs, worms and 

 spiders, caterpillars, beetles, and other insects. These latter 

 it both seeks on the ground and also on the wing, pursuing 

 them in the air after the manner of the Flycatchers, flitting 

 between times from branch to branch. The young are fed 

 with caterpillars, and, doubtless, any other 'unconsidered 

 trifles' suitable to their wants. The young on leaving the 

 nest generally betake themselves to any neighbouring bushes, 

 hedges, or trees, where for some days they are nourished by 

 the parent birds, until able to forage for themselves. When 

 they are abroad, these situations seem to be preferred to 

 their previous lodging-places. 



The Eedstart is, even in its wild state, somewhat of a 

 Mocking-bird; if brought up from the nest it may be taught 

 to sing any tune that is whistled or sung to it; and indi- 

 viduals have been known to imitate very closely the notes of 

 the Sparrow and the Chaffinch, the Garden Warbler and the 

 Lesser Whitethroat. Its song is soft, melodious, and sweet, 

 though not of extensive stave; and it has been heard after 

 ten o'clock at night, and by three again in the morning. 

 Its ordinary note, which is constantly heard throughout the 

 day, especially in a tone of anxiety if any danger be appre- 



