202 THE STONECHAT 



ing it out. Late in the autumn, before its migration, 

 it comes nearer to human dwellings, and carries on its 

 pursuit of insects, among the hedges. It even ventures 

 into the kitchen garden, where the cabbage stumps, and 

 vegetable stalks are a favourable position, from which 

 it can easily secure its prey. Its song is clear, pleasing, 

 but not loud. Its call is "Weet, weet, iveet tek, tek, 

 tek." 



The birds arrive in Hungary singly. 



In Great Britain the Stonechat is a resident in most 

 parts, although such as have bred in the colder districts 

 migrate to more sheltered places in winter. At that 

 season we have a number of arrivals from such parts 

 qf the Continent as are too cold for these birds to remai'n 

 in. Grubs, worms, insects, and beetles are its chief diet, 

 to which it adds a few small seeds. A very destructive 

 insect which they take is known as the Bean Weevil. 

 It is about a quarter of an inch in length ; and it finds 

 lodging among the whins, which the Chat family 

 frequent. This beetle also haunts the rhubarb flowers 

 in our gardens and visits the peas, selecting, it is said, 

 always the finest of these in which to lay her eggs. 

 Daddy-longlegs, cattle-flies, wire-worms, small snails, 

 and slugs are also eaten by the Chats especially the 

 Whinchat, Pratincola rubetra, which comes to the 

 South in middle of April, reaching the North early in 

 May. It has a long white streak over the eye, which 

 is a distinguishing feature of this species, also its under- 

 parts are buff, turning to bright fawn colour on the 

 breast and throat. The crown and upper parts are 

 mottled equally with sandy-buff and dark brown. Its 

 bill is less delicate than that of the Stonechat. 



