THE WHINCHAT. 315 



horsehaii'j loosely put together and almost enshrouded in the surrounding 

 herbage. The eggs are from four to six in number, greenish blue like the 

 Hedge- Accentor^s, but different in form, being more pointed at both ends. 

 The markings are somewhat faint, and usually consist of a zone of small 

 light browu spots round the larger end, although in some specimens 

 this zone is round the smaller end. They vary in length from '81 to '71 

 inch, and in breadth from '6 to "55 inch. 



It has been stated that the Whinchat rears two broods in the season, 

 but probably erroneously. Certain it is the Whinchat of the pastures 

 only rears one brood in the year, for the grass is usually mown even before 

 its young have reacted maturity, and consequently cover for a second 

 nest is wanting. The decline of the male bird's song is another conclu- 

 sive proof that the birds are single-brooded, for rarely do we hear him 

 sing after the first week in July. 



Much anxiety is evinced by the Whinchat, especially by the female, 

 when tbe nest is approached. They will fly round and round your head, 

 or take short flights from one stem of herbage to another, all the time 

 uttering their low peep, or their louder and better-known call-note. The 

 nearer their nest be approached the more anxious the little creatures 

 become, and flit about more rapidly, and sometimes flutter in the air 

 above you or drop silently down into the herbage. The young birds keep 

 with their parents throughout the autumn, and probably migrate in com- 

 pany. At this season of the year, wben the grass is cut, the Whinchat 

 is rather more shy and difficult of approach, and is seen on the swathes 

 of newly cufc grass flying restlessly about, and seemingly highly concerned 

 at the loss of the friendly shelter whicb the long grass afforded. 



The general colour of the Whinchat above is blackish brown, with sandy 

 buff margins to the feathers, brightest on the rump. The wings and tail 

 are dark brown, the former having the smaller coverts white and the latter 

 having the basal half white, except the two centre feathers, which only 

 have the extreme bases so. There is a buffy white streak over the eye, 

 round the chin, and along the sides of the neck ; the ear-coverts are black, 

 and the remainder of the under plumage rich rufous, palest on the centre 

 of the belly and under tail-coverts, and deepest on the breast. Bill, legs, 

 toes, and claws black ; irides brown. The female bird, although similar 

 to the male, is much paler in colour, and the white parts that adorn the 

 male are not so pure, and the black parts are brown. The nestling bird 

 is similar to the female, only the spotting of the upper parts is more 

 defined, and the breast is waved and barred with darker brown. After 

 the autumn moult the male birds resemble the females ; the rufous tints 

 are not so dark, and the broad pale margins to the feathers give the bird a 

 much lighter appearance. 



