on the Nesting of the Whinchat.



25



During the past few years I have bred and carefully observed

both the Stonechat and the Whinchat, and yet I cannot persuade

myself that I have made any considerable advance towards under¬

standing' the many problems which are interwoven with the life-

history of either species. If there be any of our members who

think that they know all that they need know about our indigenous

species let me ask them one or two questions. Why do all Whin-

chats migrate while the majority of Stonechats remain more or less

stationary throughout the year ? If the Stonechat can maintain

itself here during the winter, why cannot the Whinchat ? If the

Stonechat is the hardier bird, as one may reasonably infer from its

frequently wintering here and from the fact that it crosses the

North Sea in March, why does the Whinchat nest so much further

north ? Or again, if the former is the hardier bird, why do we find

it nesting in such an extremely hot climate as the south of Spain

and N. Africa, where the Whinchat is only seen as a migrant ? If

the Whinchat is the more delicate of the two, why is it found in

greater numbers in the Eastern Counties, whilst the Stonechat is

much more numerous in the (warmer) Western Counties ? Why

does the Whinchat nest at high elevations in the southern part of

its range and the Stonechat on the plains, whilst in the northern

part of their range these situations are more or less reversed ?


Although it might be possible to somewhat elucidate some of

these questions we will not further discuss them, but turn at once to

the subject of my present notes. The Whinchat nests, according to

Howard Saunders, in many parts of Central and Northern Europe

as far north as 70° N. lat., in Scandinavia, and as far east as the

Ural Mountains, but in S. Europe is chiefly seen as a migrant.

After the nesting season, we see individuals and small family parties

hurrying south in this country, and we are told that the western

contingent of this species winters in Africa, as far south as Fantee

on the west side and Abyssinia on the east. Then the curtain is

rung down and our little Whinchat passes into the unknown.


Through the very kind assistance, however, of our member,

Dr. E. Hopkinson, I am able to lift just for a single instant a very

small corner of the curtain so that we can obtain one momentary

glance at our Whinchat in its winter quarters. Dr. Hopkinson has



