2 OUR SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



Stonechat, occasionally remains with us 

 throughout the year. It is a noticeable fact 

 that those which stay the winter are far less shy 

 in their habits, and will suffer a much nearer 

 approach. 



The name Wheatear may have been derived 

 either from the season of its arrival, or from its 

 being taken in great numbers for the table at 

 wheat harvest. Or, again, it may be a corrup- 

 tion of whitear, from the white ear which is very 

 conspicuous in the spring plumage of this bird. 

 Many instances are on record of Wheatears 

 having come on board vessels several miles 

 from land at the period of migration, and from 

 the observations of naturalists in various parts 

 of the country it would appear that these birds 

 travel by night, or at early dawn. I do not 

 remember any recorded instance in which they 

 have been seen to land upon our shores in the 

 daytime. 



In Ireland, according to Mr. Thompson,^ 



1 " Nat. Hist. Ireland;" Birds, i. pp. 176, 177. 



