480 



PERCHING BIRDS. 



holes which line the sand-banks that form the coast-line in many districts of 

 Britain. The wheatear builds its nest in a variety of situations ; sometimes in a 

 loose heap of stones, sometimes in a rabbit-hole or beneath a heap of dried peats ; 

 and we once found a family packed into an old tin pot lying in a hollow of a 

 shingly sea-beach. The eggs are light blue. The song consists of some very 

 sweet notes, generally uttered upon the wing. These birds leave the British 



WHEATEAR, WHINCHAT, AND STONECHAT (J liat. size). 



shores chiefly in August and September, although some commence their journey 

 in July, while other belated stragglers linger on into early winter. The range 

 of the wheatear is very extensive, including, according to season, a great part of 

 Asia north of the Himalaya (including Gilgit), Africa, and North America. The 

 adult male in the breeding -season has the crown and most of the upper-parts 

 greyish blue, the lores and the ear-coverts black, the upper tail-coverts pure white, 

 and constantly displayed ; whiie the tail is black and white, and the throat and 

 under-parts are buffish white. 



