426 THE WHITETAIL, OK WHEATEAR. 



fail them. A severe frost in February killed ail of them but one, 

 in one night, though in a furnished drawing-room." 



166. THE WHITETAIL, OR WHEATEAR. 



Sylvia or Motacilta (Enanthe, LIN. Cul Blanc, BITF. Der Weissschwan- 

 zige Steinschmatzer, Der Weiss Schwanz, EECH. 



Description. This is a well-known bird, not only in Ger- 

 many, but throughout Europe and Northern Asia. It is about 

 the size of the Wagtail, which it resembles in appearance, 

 except that it has a shorter tail, and a broader breast. It is five 

 inches and a half in length, of which the tail measures one inch 

 and ten lines. The beak, seven lines long, is black ; as are also 

 the iris and feet, which last are one inch in height. The fore- 

 head is white, and there is a streak of the same colour over 

 each eye ; a black stripe runs from the nostrils, between the 

 eyes, to the cheeks, which are also black. The whole upper 

 part of the body, with the scapulars, is a light ashen grey, 

 mottled with a slight tinge of red ; the feathers round the 

 lower base of the bill are reddish white ; the throat, gorge, and 

 upper part of the breast are a light rust colour ; the rest of the 

 under part of the body is white, varied with rusty yellow on 

 the sides, and at the vent ; the wings are black, the larger 

 wing coverts, and the hindmost quill feathers, having reddish 

 points ; the tail is white, with a black point ; the two centre 

 feathers being black almost up to the middle. 



The female is reddish grey on the back, and darker on the 

 belly than the male ; the smaller wing coverts are edged with 

 red, and the white of the tail is tinged with the same colour. 



Before the first moulting, the young are spotted with brown 

 and rust colour upon the upper part of the body, and with 

 orange and black underneath. After the moulting, both males 

 and females exhibit for a whole year the reddish grey on the 

 back, characteristic of an old female. 



Habitat. When wild, they are generally to be found in 

 mountainous or rocky regions. During their migrations, they 

 perch in the open country, on posts, large stones, and other 

 elevated spots, and are rarely seen on bushes or trees. They 

 depart in the first half of September, and return in the begin- 

 ning or middle of April, on the cessation of the nightly frosts. 



When in the house, they must be confined in a Nightingale 

 cage, or in a trellised enclosure. They may also be allowed to 



