CiiAT. INSESSORES. SAXICOLA. 185 



STONE-CHAT. 



Saxicola rubicola, Bechst. 



PLATE XLVIII. Figs. 3. and 4. 



Saxicola rubicola, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 694. 

 Sylvia rubicola, Lath. Ind. Omith. 2. p. 523. 49. 



Motacilla rubicola, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 332. 17 Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 90!). 



Rubetra, Briss. 3. p. 428. 25. t. 23. f. 1. male. 



(Enanthe nostra tertia. Rail Syn. p. 76. A. 4 Will. p. 169. t. 41. 



Motacilla Tschecautschia, Gmcl. Svst. 1. p. 997. sp. 175, 



L,e Traquet, Bvff. Ois. v. 5. p. 215'. t. 13 Id. PI. Enl. 678. f. 1. 



Traquet Patre, Temm. IVIan. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 246 Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afriq. 



V. 4. pi. 180. f. 1. and 2. old male. 

 Swartzkehliger Stenischmatzer, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 694. t. 23. 



old male. 

 Stone-Chat, Br. Zool. 1. No. 159 Will. (Ang.) p. 235. t. 41 Lath. Syn. 



4. p. 448. 46 Mont. Omith. Diet Leioin's Br. Birds, 3. t. 108 Albin. 



1. t. 52 — Wale. Syn. 2. t. 239 Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 9 Haye's Br. 



Birds, t. 39 — Bewick's Br. Birds, v. 1. p. t. 233. male. 



Provincial, — Stone-Chattei", Stone-Smick, Moor Titling. 



The Stone-Chat, unlike the two preceding species, is a 

 resident through the whole year in this country, on open 

 grounds and furzy commons, which are its appropriate 

 haunts. — In its manners it resembles the Whin- Chat, feed- 

 ing, like it, upon worms and insects, taken also occasionally Food. 

 by a similar method. I have before noticed the peculiarity 

 in these birds, of alighting upon the summit of the object on 

 which they perch. It is frequently on the wing, from bush 

 to bush, but always flyin|; close to the ground. Its common 

 call is a kind of clicking note, compared by Buffon to the 

 word Ouistrata ; but, in the pairing season, its song (gene- 

 rally uttered as it hovers over the furze) is varied and agree- 

 able. Like most of our indigenous birds, it commences nidi- 

 fication very early in the spring ; the spot selected being usu- Nest &c. 

 ally at the bottom of a whin or other bush, and the nest 

 composed of moss and dry grass, lined witli hair or feathers. . 

 It lays five or six eggs, of a greenish-blue colour, marked at 

 the larger end with small reddish-brown spots. 



