54 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



BLUETHKOAT. 



Ruticilla suecica. 



A FEMALE was killed near Worthing May 2, 1853^ and is 

 mentioned in Yarrell's 'British Birds' (vol. i. p. 322). 

 October 1, 1863, a beautiful adult bird was seen by a boy 

 on the South Downs, between Brighton and Stanmore Park, 

 flying among the furzes from bush to bush. It was in the 

 fullest plumage. It uttered no note, and on perching spread 

 out its tail. The boy knocked it down with a stick, and 

 took it alive to Mr. Pratt's shop at Brighton, where I saw 

 it. It had been put in a cage and kept very much to the 

 bottom of it, and even then spread out its tail to its fullest 

 extent when disturbed. It looked all right, but Mr. Pratt, 

 fearing it would spoil its plumage in the cage, soon after- 

 wards killed it, and set it up for me, and I now have it in 

 my own collection. In this specimen the spot in the centre 

 of the breast is bright chestnut-red. It feeds on insects, 

 but of its general habits I have no personal knowledge, and I 

 can only add that to this county it is a visitant of the greatest 

 rarity. Both these examples are recorded in the ' Zoologist,' 

 the first at p. 3907, the second at p. 8381. 



REDSTART. 



Buticilla phcenicurus. 



The Redstart appears about the middle of April, resting for 

 a few days near the coast, especially in some grassy spot, 

 even in towns, such as the lawns of the Pavilion at Brighton, 

 and in Wellington Square at Hastings, in both of which 

 places I have seen it picking up insects, worms, &c. It has 



