SYLVIAD^E. 21 



catalogue, such as earth-worms, beetles, insects, elder- 

 berries, blackberries, earwigs, &c. ; but he omits the 

 snail, which I have seen Robins eat with apparent 

 relish, after having broken the shell. 



Meyer says that he had a caged Redbreast which 

 used to sing beautifully, which is somewhat unusual : 

 I have seen several caged Redbreasts, none of which 

 ever sang, but were mute and melancholy. I once 

 found a nest with eggs early in the month of March. 

 Mr. Sharpe states that as early as the /th of January, 

 1866, a Robin was sitting on five eggs on Mr. Peto's 

 farm, near Cookham. 



STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola). The Stonechat 

 is a resident species, but a great addition to its num- 

 bers takes place in April, and a similar decrease in 

 August and September : a few only remain with us 

 all the year. It frequents commons and waste lands, 

 and builds its nest on the ground under some slight 

 cover, as a tuft of grass or a small bush. I found a nest 

 in a furze-bush on a common, in 1862, which was quite 

 four feet from the ground, but this is unusual. 



It breeds in the neighbourhood of Eton and Wind- 

 sor, and the eggs are by no means rare. I have 

 noticed very few Stonechats in the colder months 

 but they are occasionally observed in December on 

 Dorney Common : I saw a pair there in January, 

 1866. 



Towards the latter end of March and beginning 

 of April flocks of these birds arrive with Whinchats, 



