BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 117 



IRefcstart 



THE Redstart (Ruticilla phoenicunis, Linnaeus) is a summer 

 visitant to the British Islands. It is also found breeding in 

 Central and Northern Europe, south of the Arctic Circle, 

 and in autumn migrates through Southern Europe to 

 Northern Africa. The adult male has the forehead and 

 eye-streak white; head and back, slate-grey; wings, brown, 

 edged with paler brown ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, 

 rich chestnut, with the exception of the two central feathers 

 of latter, which are brown margined with rufous ; breast and 

 flanks, rich chestnut, shading into paler on abdomen; a 

 narrow band at base of upper mandible, sides of face, sides 

 of neck, and throat, rich black; irides, dark brown; bill, 

 black; legs and feet, blackish. Length, about five inches. 

 The female is in general colouration brown, with tail and 

 vent dull chestnut. 



