30 STONECHAT. 
Africa is inhabited by P. hemprichi, with more white than black in 
the tail; while east of the valley of the Volga the place of our 
species is taken by P. maura, characterized by a white rump and a 
predominance of black in the under wing-coverts and axillaries. 
The nest, constructed very early in April, is concealed amongst 
the herbage on broken ground, or at the foot of some thick furze or 
other bush, and is composed of dry grass and moss with a lining of 
bents, hair, and feathers. The 5 or 6 eggs are of a bluish-green 
(greener than those of the Whinchat), spotted and zoned with pale 
reddish-brown : average measurements ‘7 by ‘58 in. The parent 
birds display considerable anxiety when the nest is approached, 
flitting from bush to bush and uttering a sharp chack, but it 
requires great patience to eye the female to her nest. Two broods 
are produced during the season. The song, commenced early in 
the spring, continues until the latter part of June, and, although 
short, is rather pleasing; but the scolding note, 2-weet, jur, jur, 
uttered by the male as—conspicuous by his black head, white neck, 
and ruddy breast—he darts from spray to spray on some furze- 
covered moor, is the most familiar indication of the presence of 
this sprightly bird. The insect-prey of the Stonechat, including 
small ‘moths and butterflies, is often taken on the wing; grubs, 
worms and beetles forming its principal diet, with the addition of a 
few seeds. 
Adult male in May:—the head, throat, nape and back, black ; 
the feathers of the latter edged with brown; tail coverts white, 
spotted with dark brown ; tail and wings dark brown ; a conspicuous 
white patch on the wing-coverts ; sides of the neck white ; breast 
bright rufous, lighter on the abdomen; under wing-coverts and 
axillaries mottled black and white; bill, legs and feet black. In 
autumn the under parts are paler, and the upper feathers are 
margined with reddish-brown. Length 5 in.; wing to the end of 
the fourth and longest primary 2°55 in.; bastard primary much 
longer than in the Whinchat. In young males the crown of the 
head is brown streaked with black. Female :—striped brown upper 
parts ; throat merely mottled with black ; rump reddish-brown ; the 
white wing-patch smaller than in the male and under parts much 
duller. Young :—throat buffish-white ; feathers of the upper parts 
much tinged and margined with rufous-brown; otherwise as in the 
female. 
