THE WHIN CHAT. 213 



The name of Chat is earned by the bird in consequence of its extreme volubility, for it is 



one of the noisiest birds in existence. Its song is low and sweet, and may be heard to great 

 advantage, as the bird is not at all shy, and, trusting to its powers of concealment, sings 

 merrily until the spectator has approached within a short distance, and then, dropping among 

 the furze, glides quickly through the prickly maze, and rises at some distance, ready to renew 

 its little song. It is a lively bird, ever on the move, flitting from place to place with restless 

 activity, and ever and anon uttering its sweet strains. Even in the winter months the Stone- 

 chat will make itself audible as it flutters about the furze-grown spots in which it loves to 

 live. It is in these localities that it finds its supply of winter food, for the thick furze-bushes 

 afford shelter to various worms and insects, and the little Chat is able to procure a plentiful 

 meal by digging in the damp ground. 



It is rather difficult to force a Stonechat to leave its shelter, and a shower of missiles 

 generally has the effect of making it keep closer within its concealment. This little bird has 

 the faculty of making a patch of furze very lively, for it pops in and out in a quick cheerful 

 fashion, twitters its pretty song, dives among the rich golden-crowned bushes, and reappears 

 with a toss of the head, and a flirt of the wing, as if exulting in the exuberance of its happi- 

 ness. In the winter, the same bushes afford it concealment and shelter, for the heavy masses 

 of snow only rest upon the furze, and leave abundant open space beneath, in which the little 

 bird has perfect freedom of movement, and under which it is sure to find worms and insects 

 buried in the soil. Snails, slugs, and other similar creatures always retire for the winter into 

 sheltered spots, and they form many a meal for the Stonechat. Plantations, especially those 

 that are made of young pines or firs, are favorite haunts of the Stonechat ; but as the branches 

 are all at some distance from the ground. The bird seldom, if ever, attempts to build its nest 

 under their shade. 



The Stonechat resembles the fly-catcher in some of its habits, especially in its custom of 

 feeding on an elevated twig, the top of a post, or the highest pebble of a stone-heap, and 

 catching the flies as they pass by its perch. Unlike the fly-catcher, however, it does not make 

 choice of one perch, and return to it day after day : but after catching six or seven flies upon 

 one spot, flutters to another, and from that to a third, ever changing its position from time 

 to time. 



The nest of the Stonechat is made of mosses, grass of different kinds, and is lined with 

 fine fibres, hairs, and feathers. The number of the eggs is from four to six, and their color 

 is very pale blue, diversified with numerous minute spots of reddish-brown upon the large 

 end of the shell. The colors of the Stonechat are rather pretty. The head, the neck, the 

 chin, throat, back, and tail, are deep sooty-black, contrasting boldly with the pure white 

 of the tertial wing-coverts, the upper tail-coverts, and the sides of the neck. The remaining 

 wing-coverts are deep brown, and the quill-feathers of the wings are also brown. The breast 

 is chestnut, and the abdomen yellowish-white. The total length of the bird is rather more 

 than five inches. 



The bird which occupies the top of the last illustration is called the Whinchat, on 

 account of its fondness for the furze or whin. The stonechat has. however, quite as much 

 right to the title, as it frequents the furze as constantly as the Whinchat. 



This species may be easily distinguished from the preceding, by the long- and bold white 

 streak which passes across the sides of the head, and the absence of white upon the wing- 

 coverts. It is a migratory bird, although it has on one or two occasions been seen in the north 

 of Europe during the winter. In many of its habits it resembles the stonechat, and might 

 readily be mistaken for that bird by any one who was not well acquainted with the two 

 species. It sings rather constantly, uttering its sweet strains while on the wing, or while 

 perched on some elevated bough. Mr. Yarrell mentions that it is fond of imitating the 

 notes of other birds, and that a caged Whinchat has been heard to mimic the whitethroat, the 

 redstart, willow warbler, missel thrush, and nightingale. The same bird would frequently 

 sing at night. 



Like the wheatear, the Whinchat becomes extremely fat in the autumn, and as it is prized 



