40 BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 



same places. In Guernsey it is most common near 

 the sea about the low part of the Island, from 

 L'ancresse Common to Perrelle Bay. In habits it 

 puts one very much in mind of the Wheatear, 

 being very fond, like that bird, of selecting some 

 big stone or some other conspicuous place to perch 

 on and keep a look-out either for intruders or for 

 some passing insect, either flying or creeping, for it 

 is an entirely insect-feeding bird. 



I have never seen the Black Eedstart about the 

 high part of the Island amongst the rocks, which I 

 am rather surprised at, as in the south coast of 

 Devon it seems particularly partial to high cliffs 

 and rocks, such as the Parson and Clerk Eock near 

 Teignmouth ; but in Guernsey the wild grassy 

 commons, with scattered rocks and large boulders, 

 and occasionally a rough pebbly beach, especially 

 the upper part of it where the pebbles join the 

 grass, seem more the favourite resort of this bird 

 than the high rocks, such places probably being 

 more productive of food. It is of course quite 

 useless to look for this bird in the interior of the 

 Island in gardens and orchards, and such places 

 as one would naturally look for the Common Eed- 

 start. 



The male Black Eedstart may be immediately 

 distinguished from the Common Eedstart by the 

 black breast and belly, and by the absence of the 

 white mark on the forehead. The male Black Bed- 



