412 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
end; length, 1:25 in.; breadth, ‘9 in. Nest nearly three inches 
deep; seven feet above stream. 
The Ring Ouzel is somewhat uncertain in its appearance 
upon ‘the South Downs; sometimes it will not appear for years 
together. On January 29th, during the present year (1879), 
_I observed a small flock amongst some furze bushes on the downs 
about a mile above Michelgrove, in Sussex. 
Let me record my tribute of admiration for the gentle bird, 
the Hedgesparrow, whose rich little canzonet may be heard on the 
silvery mornings of those rare bright days when an atmosphere, 
clear as crystal and of alpine purity and freshness, descends 
to invigorate the less favoured regions of the plain in bleak 
November. 
The Redstart is quite as characteristic of the larger woods 
as the Grouse, Golden Plover and Ring Ouzel of the moors. 
It abounds in the district, and ascends to 1000 feet, perhaps — 
higher. I have noticed it in Airedale, Wharfedale (as high as 
Starbotn), Nidderdale, Colsterdale, and Coverdale. The Willow 
Wren, Redstart, and Chaffinch have a note in common—most. 
‘delicately modulated and drawn out by the Willow Wren, 
rather more quickly repeated by the Redstart, and some- 
what more coarsely by the Chaflinch, which seems to mock 
the Willow Wren. 
There are no Stonechats in Nidderdale. On July 6th, 1869, 
I saw the only Stonechat I remember to have seen anywhere 
in the neighbourhood; that was on Constable Ridge, near 
Haverah Park (750 feet). The place abounds with low stunted 
furze-bushes. 
The Whinchat is extremely common, and ascends to 900 feet; 
in Airedale, east of Shipley, there is not a field without several. 
It has a favourite note, “ tooee, tuck, tuck,’’"—the “‘ tooee” drawn 
out beautifully modulated, the “tuck, tuck” rather reedy in sound, 
somewhat like picking the end of a thin piece of wood with the 
finger. ‘he Whinchat and Wheatear have this note in common; 
so great is the similarity that I question whether the most 
practised ear could tell by the sound alone which bird uttered the 
often-repeated and slightly varied “twee, chuck, chuck.” They 
-have also the same habit of flying before one along the road—a 
trick common to the Whitethroats, Flycatchers, and many others. 
Whinchats swarm along the railway between Pateley Bridge and 
