The Black Redstart. 47 



of this species which visit Great Britain when on migration should not remain 

 to breed with us. 



John Cordeaux, in the "Zoologist" for 1893, states that this species is a 

 very frequent visitor at Flamborough Head ; both in spring and autumn : in 

 1 89 1, he says, they came in battalions, first some on April 6th and again a 

 great rush on May loth and nth, scores of fine males being seen in hedges 

 and gardens. Then again, in the volume of the same publication for 1894, G. 

 W. Bradshaw records the fact that a male was shot at Ninfield near Bexhill, 

 on April loth. 



It therefore seems far from improbable that the discovery of the nest by a 

 lady in Dumfriesshire in 1889, an account of which was published in the 

 "Zoologist" for 1890 by Mr. O. Hammond, was genuine; he says: — 



" A lady, a near neighbour of mine, who is fond of observing birds, tells me 

 that about the 12th of June last year, she found a nest of the Black Redstart 

 about half a mile from Maxwelton, in Dumfriesshire. The nest was in a stone 

 " dyke " (wall), by the side of a road on a high hill, called " Crossford." The 

 3'oung were hatched. She tells me that she often went to Avatch the birds, both 

 with a field glass and without one ; that they let her get very near, that she is 

 certain of their identity, and that they were Black, and not Common, Redstarts." 



The food of this species consists of insects and their larvae, spiders, small 

 Crustacea, and occasionally of small garden fruits : winged insects it captures in 

 the air, after the manner of the commoner species, beetles, larvae and spiders it 

 seeks for on the earth, especially on ground which has been newly turned up. 



In captivity the usual soft food, with the addition of cockroaches, spiders, 

 mealworms, or wireworms, will suffice ; but most small insects will be acceptable. 



The song of this bird is simple, but the few notes are full and rich : it is 

 therefore not surprising, seeing how handsomely it is coloured, that it should 

 sometimes be kept in cage and aviary. 



Although not infrequently exhibited at the bird- show of the "Omis" 

 Society in Berlin, the Black Redstart seems to have rarely put in an appearance 

 at an English exhibition : I have, however, seen it at the Crystal Palace Show. 



I can say nothing experimentally of this species : doubtless it would be easy 

 to keep, and would make an engaging pet : but it ought to be turned loose in 

 an aviary. Small insectivorous birds, when permanently kept in cages, rarely 

 sing and usually die of apoplexy ; at least that is my experience, excepting 

 in the case of the Skylark, Woodlark, Nightingale, and sometimes the Robin : 

 the last mentioned generally singing more or less, even when caged, but rarely 

 living long in close captivity. 



