RUT1CILLA 49 



Rougt-gueue, French; Rabiruiva, Portug.; Culirojo, Span.; 

 Codirosso, Cudarnsso, Ital. ; Rotliscliiuanz, German ; Roodstaartje, 

 Dutch ; Blodstjert, Dan. ; Rodstjart, Norweg. and Swed. ; Lep- 

 palintu, Finn. ; Sarnitchka, Russ. 



^ ad. (England). Upper parts generally slate-grey ; tail and upper 

 tail-coverts chestnut red, the middle rectrices brownish, wings brownish, 

 the quills with paler margins ; forehead white, frontal line, lores, cheeks, 

 ear-coverts and throat deep black, under parts white, the breast flanks 

 under wing-coverts and axillaries rich or orange red or chestnut ; bill and 

 legs black ; iris brown. Culmen 0'6, wing 3'1, tail 2'5, tarsus 0'9 inch. 

 Female ; upper parts brownish grey ; rump and tail duller than in the 

 male ; no white frontal patch ; chin and throat greyish white tinged with 

 rufous ; under parts paler and duller than in the male. The nestling is 

 dull ochreous barred with blackish brown ; tail duller than in the adult 

 and slightly barred ; under parts sandy yellow marked with blackish 

 brown. In the winter the male has the upper parts obscured with brown, 

 the black and white on the head and neck with brown margins and the 

 orange red on the under parts with whitish margins to the feathers, but 

 the female differs but little in winter dress. 



Hob. Europe generally, north to the Arctic circle, south to 

 the Mediterranean ; Asia east to the Yenesei and the Lena ; 

 winters in southern Persia and Central Africa. 



Frequents groves and gardens, and is active and sprightly 

 in its general habits, but somewhat shy and suspicious ; is con- 

 tinually on the move, and keeps its tail in almost continual 

 motion. Its call note is a clear whistle, sometimes followed by 

 one or two short, sharp notes, and its song, which is uttered 

 when the bird is perched on a twig or occasionally when on the 

 wing, is sweet, rather melancholy, but feeble and consists of only 

 three strophes. It feeds on insects of various kinds, which it 

 either collects from the foliage of trees or from the ground, 

 and catches flies on the wing with great facility. 



It breeds throughout its summer range in April or May, its 

 nest being usually placed in a hollow tree or a hole in a wall, 

 and somewhat loosely constructed of roots, dry grass-bents, and 

 moss, and lined with hair or feathers. 



The eggs from 5 to 8 in number are clear greenish- 

 blue, usually unspotted, but occasionally with a few faint 

 reddish dots, and measure from 070 by 0'57 to 0'78 by 

 0-58 inch. 



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