TURDIDJE. 13 



will lake the trouble to search for it in suitable localities. It would 

 appear to be more plentiful in the immediate neighbourhood of Plj-mouth 

 than elsewhere, but this may be chieflj^ due to the fact that so good an 

 observer was established there on the look out for it. It has occurred at 

 many places on the southern shores of the Bristol Channel, where there 

 have been ornithologists to recognize it, at Instow on the N. Devon coast, 

 Ilfracombe, Minehead, and Weston-super-Mare. It does not confine 

 itself to the neighbourhood of the coast, as it has been observed often 

 inland, at Barnstaple, and many specimens have been obtained round 

 Taunton. One frequented our house in Barnstaple one winter, and used 

 to flutter before the windows, tapping the glass with its beak while 

 catching small flies and midges, as the Common and Grey Wagtails will 

 often do. When perched on the top of the house, or on some neighbour- 

 ing wall, it had much the appearance of a Eobin. 



Among the numerous examples of the Black Redstart obtained by 

 Mr. J. Gatcombe at Plymouth was one with its tail cut short and a piece 

 of red worsted tied round its leg. 



The habits of the Black Iledstart have been well described by the Eev. 

 W. S. Hore and Mr. J. Gatcombe, as studied by them in the vicinity of 

 Plymouth. They are not easily procured, as they will creep into some 

 hole or crevice in the rocks and remain concealed for a long time. On 

 sunay days they may be observed busily engaged in the pursuit of small 

 insects. Mr. Gatcombe says that they closely resemble the Wheatear in 

 their actions, and seldom perch on a bush. A favourite haunt is not long 

 without its Black Piedstart, and should one be killed another soon takes 

 its place. Old males are scarce and are very shy ; but cold weather 

 makes them very tame, and they may then be seen pufl'ed out and 

 hopping on the grass above the cliff's instead of on the rocks below. 



The first specimen recorrlecl from Devonshire, being tlie fifth Britisli-killed example, 

 was shot in .Tanuarv l^o■^ at Teigninouth (Yarrell's B. Birds, 2nd ed. i. p. 2(54). 

 During tlie first week of November 1843 twenty were killed near Plymouth, on tiieir 

 arrival in small flocks, by various persons (W. S. H., Zool. p. 4'.t.")). More tluin 

 twenty were killed tbcre in 1850, sixteen by one person (R. A. J., in ' Naturalist,' 

 18.")1, p. 44). Mr. J. Gatcombe killed thirteen there in November 185.!, and lie met 

 wiih it every year for twenty years, except in 1880. Old males were scarce (Zool. 

 1881. p. .")2, and in /i/f.). He states tiuit it is most numerous at Plymouth in March, 

 jusl before leaving lor tlie sunuuer. A'ery interesting notes on tliis species by that 

 admirable and lamented ornitiiologist will be found in the ' Naturalist ' (1851, p. 227), 

 in (he 'Zoologist' (1870. pp. 202(), 2i;W; 187.S, pp. ;3051, -.iW-i ; 1874, pp. 3827, 

 8900; 187(), p. 4784; 1877, p. 45; 1881. p. .02; 1883, ]). 1(15; 1884, p. 55 ; 188.5, 

 p. 21 ; 1887, p. 378), and in Yarrell's 'British Birds' (4th ed. i. p. 330). Bellamy 

 mentions this bird twice as " S///ria erUhwiiit, L., Red-tailed Warbler," and as "iVy/c/a 

 mhi/x. Black Redstart." lie states, on the authority of Mr. '!". E. Gosling, that six 

 " Red-tailed Warbh-rs" were shot in the lines at DovonporL at one time (Nat. Hist. 

 S. Devon, 18.7.), p. 205). 



In the Kingsbridge district Mr. R. P. Nicliolls has met with this species, more ])ar- 

 ticularly between Bantli.-im and 'I'hurli'stono (i-specially in the winter of i8.S4), but lio 

 has also seen individuals on the house-lops and in the stn^'ls at Kingsbridge catching 

 flie« (M8. Notes). One shot at Fallajiit on October 24th, 1887, aiul two seen at Thiirlc- 

 Blone on November 7th, lH8<) {K. A. 8. K.. 1VI8. Notes). 



Mr. 1''. Burt, fornicrly Curator of llin 'J'onpiay Museum, says he iiad two or three 

 spe'jiuiens brought to him in most seasons (8eptember to February) froui Berry lleud, 



