49 



THE REDSTART. 



JRuticilla phcenicurus (L.). 



With the exception of those from Hampshire, the records 

 of this species from the south coast are very scanty, but it 

 seems probable that its area of arrival embraced the whole 

 of that coast. 



The first record came from Berkshire on the 4th of April. 

 During the first three weeks of that month Redstarts strag- 

 gled into the country, a single bird reaching Westmoreland 

 as early as the 8th. The first considerable wave of immi- 

 gration took place on the nights of the 22nd and 23rd of 

 April, when many were seen at Hanois light (Guernsey) 

 and numbers at St. (/atherine's light (Hants). A second 

 occurred on the nights of the 28th and 29th. when great 

 numbers were seen and many killed at the last-named light. 

 The effect of these influxes was to distribute the birds 

 generally over the whole of the country, and although in- 

 creases were noted in various counties up to the middle of 

 May, the only immigratory movements recorded after the 

 end of April were small ones during the first week of May. 



Redstarts were nesting in Staffordshire and Cumberland 

 on the 4th of May, in Hertfordshire on the 12th and in 

 Lancashire on the 13th, on which date a nest with three 

 eggs was found in Radnor. 



Chronological Summary of the Records. 



April 4th. Berks. 



„ 8th. Westmoreland. 



„ 9th. Devon. 



„ 10th. Sussex, Norfolk. 



