THE WARBLERS 



17 



quarters, so long as you 

 stand perfectly still — an 

 indispensable qualifica- 

 tion for successful bird 

 watc+iing. 



Wheatear, ^\'^linchat, 

 and Stonechat are some- 

 times confused ; all three 

 are migrants, though a 

 few of the latter remain 

 throughout the winter. 

 The Wheatear, decidedly 

 the largest of the three, 

 is the most likely to be 

 found on cultivated land, 

 not that its name has 

 any reference to agricul- 

 ture, but is supposed to 

 be derived from two 

 Saxon words for its dis- 

 tinguishing mark, a white 

 rump, which is very con- 

 spicuous in flight. It is 

 a restless bird, ever on 



a few Tree Sparrows, 

 a Chaffinch and a 

 Greenfinch or two. 

 Not one of the last 

 three will ever ven- 

 ture to approach with- 

 in some few yards of 

 you, and the crafty 

 House Sparrow is not 

 nearly so daring as 

 the bold Blue Tit, 

 which will dash down 

 from a neighbouring 

 perch to seize and 

 carry off a grain of 

 corn from within a 

 few feet of your toes ; 

 whilst " the confiding 

 little Hedge Sparrow, 

 even less suspicious of 

 harm than a Robin, 

 will unconcernedly 

 hop around at close 



WHINCHATS NEST AND EGGS. 



