34 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



Another well-received and commonly-accepted theory 

 about the Black Redstart is, that the male bird does not 

 assume its complete plumage until the spring after hatching. 

 Attentive study and careful investigation have, however, 

 clearly shown that this idea is not based upon fact. Until 

 recently, the Grey Redstart, which is also a winter visitor, 

 was not believed to be one of our regular visitors; and 

 there can be no doubt that the males of these last-mentioned 

 birds have been constantly mistaken for Black Redstarts in 

 immature plumage. 



The Black Redstart is about five and a half inches in 

 length, the tail measuring two inches and a half. The 

 beak is black and sharply-pointed, with the corners and 

 inside of a yellowish colour. The upper part of the body 

 is a deep bluish-grey; rump red; throat, cheeks, breast, 

 and belly a sooty black; the vent is a reddish-yellow; 

 wing-coverts are blackish, bordered with white; the 

 hindermost of the quill feathers are dark brown with a 

 broad white edge, forming a long marking on the wing ; 

 the tail is a yellowish-red, with two feathers of dark brown 

 in the centre. The female is of a mixed ashen grey on 

 the upper parts of the body, and underneath ashen grey 

 tinged with red ; the chin is whitish, and the borders of 

 the wing feathers are not so strongly defined as in the 

 male, and of a reddish- white. The young birds in their 

 first plumage have most of the feathers of the upper and 

 under parts barred and tipped with black, giving a 

 speckled appearance. 



The Black Redstart in its habits resembles the common 

 Redstart, although more shy, and it prefers localities of a 

 more stony character ; it is frequently found near the coast, 

 on the tops of chalky cliffs, farmyards, and open lands; 



