THE STONE CHAT. 



549 



noise ; but during the months of May and June it is often heard 

 chanting a soft, mellow, and very pleasing song. In autumn 

 great numbers of them niaj' be seen gliding among the fruit trees 

 and bushes. 



The Stone CttJat {Sax/cola 'ntdico/a ,Temra.) , Fig. 262 jhaathe head 

 and throat black in the male, the breast brownish red, the sides of 

 the neck white, a white spot on the wings, the upper parts brownish 

 black, and the feathers edged with brownish red. In the female the 

 head and upper parts are streaked with brownish red, the throat 



FiK- 2.31.— Tli^' Wooa Wuiljler, oi' Wood Wren [.Sf/lroi sibilaira, Eechstein). 



yellowish grey, the breast dull Irrownish red, a white spot on the 

 wings, and the upper tail coverts yellowish red. " In April," says 

 McGillivray, " it forms its nest, generally under some furze bu.sh, 

 or other shrub, or ;imong rank grass ; it is formed of stems and 

 blades of grasses, intermixed with moss, and lined with finer 

 straws, fibrous roots, hair, and wool, as well as feathers. These 

 birds manifest intense anxiety should any one apjDroach their nest, 

 fluttering and flitting about, and incessantly emitting their sharjo, 



