BLACKSTART. 



SLACK REDSTART. BLACK RED-TAIL. TITHYS EEDSTART. 



Sylvia Tithys, JENYNS. 



" Gibraltariensis, LATHAM. 



Phcenicura Tithys, GOULD. SELBY. 



Ficedula Tithys, EYTON. 

 Motacilla atrata, 



Sylvia. SylvaA. wood. Tithys ? 



THIS species is rather common in the southern parts of 

 Europe, Germany, Thuringia, France, Greece, Spain, Switzer- 

 land, and Italy, but very rare in the more northern parts, 

 in Sweden, namely, and also in Holland, the character of the 

 latter country being of course unsuited to its Alpine habits 

 the very Antipodes of them. The Prince of Musignano 

 obtained one at sea in the spring of 1828, four hundred miles 

 to the west of Africa, during a gale from the eastward: it 

 was caught, together with some other small birds, in the 

 rigging of the ship. The Blackstart has been met with also 

 in Asia. 



This very neat and elegant bird, first made known as a 

 British one by Mr. Gould, is but of rare occurrence also, 

 generally speaking, in this country. I am much obliged and 

 indebted to John Gatcombe, Esq., of Wyndham Place, Ply- 

 mouth, for a highly-finished drawing of the male and female, 

 the latter the first mature one as yet depicted, and from 

 which the plate is taken. In Yorkshire, two or three are 

 stated by Mr. Allis, on the authority of Mr. H. Denny, to 

 have been caught by some bird-catchers at Osmondthorpe. 



The earliest recorded one, before alluded to, was captured 

 at Kilburn, near London, in the month of October, 1829, 

 and another has since been observed in the Regent's Park. 



