THE WTTTXCHAT. 429 



tail measuring one inch and a half. The beak and feet, which 

 are nine lines high, are black. The whole of the upper part 

 of the body is dark brown (in some old birds black), having 

 all the feathers strongly bordered with a light rust colour, 

 whence the bird derives a general appearance of black and rust- 

 coloured stripes. In spring a white stripe runs from the 

 nostrils over the eyes to the back of the ears ; the cheeks and 

 temples are black ; the throat and breast yellowish red ; the 

 former edged with white on the sides and chin, or, rather, a 

 white stripe passes round the lower part of the beak to the 

 temples and cheeks. The belly, sides, and vent are reddish 

 white ; the smaller and the foremost greater wing-coverts are 

 dark brown, edged with red ; the hindmost are wholly or half 

 white, and make a white spot on the wings. The quill feathers 

 are black, edged with red, the hindmost having a white base ; 

 the half of the tail nearest the base is white, the other half 

 dark brown ; the two centre feathers having only a little white 

 at the roots. 



The female is altogether lighter in colour ; the stripes about 

 the eyes being yellowish white ; the upper part of the body 

 dark brown, with rust-coloured spots; the cheeks dark brown; 

 the throat reddish white ; the breast a dusky yellowish red, 

 sometimes with small round black and brown spots ; which, 

 however, none of the birds have in the spring. The white 

 spots on the wings are small. 



These birds vary till the third year. The young ones, which 

 in summer may often be seen perched on cabbage plants, 

 and on stiff stalks in the corn fields, have, till the first moulting, 

 rust-coloured and black spots on the upper part of the body, 

 all the feathers being edged with white. On the belly they 

 resemble the mother. The dark colour on the back and cheeks 

 distinguishes the sexes.. It is only in the third year that the 

 head and cheeks become black ; and at the same period the 

 white stripe round the cheeks becomes broader. 



Habitat. This bird is most frequently met with in the 

 outskirts of forests. It makes its appearance in the beginning 

 of May, and leaves us at the latter end of September. In 

 August it may be seen everywhere, sitting on the cabbage 

 plants, or on single bushes. 



In confinement it requires a Nightingale cage. 



Food. When wild, its food consists of small earth and 

 carrion beetles, and other flying insects. 



