BRITISH BIRDS. I I 



near London I have never seen it before April 22nd. On 

 the South Downs, nest (neatly and compactly composed of 

 moss and dry grasses, and lined with finer dry grasses) is 

 placed in a grass tuft on a hillside, or among furze-bushes ; 

 laying commences as early as May 7th, a second brood 

 being hatched in July. Eggs : 5 or 6, occasionally 7 ; 

 bluish-green, usually slightly speckled at larger end with 

 reddish ; size 75 by '60. Call-note : a sharp u-tick-tick, 

 accompanied by a slight movement of the tail ; usually 

 uttered while perched, but also on the wing. The not 

 unpleasant song (delivered from a post or hedge) is a short 

 warble uttered twice, each time preceded by a somewhat 

 harsh note. 



15. Pratineola rubieola (Linn.)- STONECHAT. 



Hab. W. and S. Europe, north to Scotland ; eastward 

 not found to north of Germany. Partially migratory in 

 winter. 



Male : head, nape and throat, black ; sides of neck 

 pure white ; feathers of mantle black, edged with brown ; 

 wings and tail-feathers dark brown, with a very noticeable 

 white patch on coverts of wings ; upper tail-coverts white, 

 mottled with dark brown ; breast of a bright ruddy hue, 

 paler on abdomen ; under tail-coverts mottled with black 

 and white ; bill and feet black. Length 5*25 ; wing 

 shorter and rounder than Whinchat's, and with 4th 

 primary longest, instead of 3rd. In winter paler below, 

 and upper feathers more margined with brown. Female : 

 above brown, with darker streaks ; rump reddish-brown ; 

 white patch on wing less conspicuous ; throat mottled with 

 black ; breast much duller. Young resemble female, but 

 have no black on throat. 



Common generally, north to the Hebrides, although local 

 in some parts. In Ireland a fairly common resident. 



