TURDINA. 2" 
THE WHINCHAT. 
PRATINCOLA RUBETRA (Linnzus). 
The Whinchat generally arrives in the south of England rather 
before the middle of April, but seldom reaches the north of its 
range before the beginning of May ; after which, until its departure 
in the early part of October, it is fairly distributed throughout 
England and Wales. It is, however, somewhat local in the west, 
becoming rare in Cornwall, and only occurring in the Scilly Islands 
during the autumnal passage. In Scotland, although absent in some 
districts, it may be said to range from the border counties to 
Caithness, and is very common in Sutherlandshire and the Moray 
basin; while it breeds sparingly in the Outer Hebrides and the 
Orkneys; and Mr. A. H. Evans identified it in the summer of 1887 
in the Shetlands. In Ireland it is a summer visitor to the northern 
half and Kilkenny, visiting the south on migration. 
A very rare straggler to the Fzeroes, the Whinchat breeds from 
about 70° N. lat. in Scandinavia southwards, in many parts of 
Northern and Central Europe; and, seeking in the mountains 
appropriate climatic conditions, it nests down to Sicily. In the 
countries bordering the Mediterranean it is, however, principally a 
migrant ; wintering in Africa, down to Fantee on the west side and 
Abyssinia on the east, as well asin Arabia, Asia Minor, and Northern 
India. The Ural Mountains appear to form its eastern boundary in 
European Russia. 
The breeding-season is from the beginning of May: the nest is 
