270 



8 



it at Pegu, in Burmah; and Captain Beavan (Ibis, 1867, p. 328) records it as not uncommon in 

 the Andaman Islands. 



Although in structure so very similar to the true Saoticolce (so much so, indeed, as to make 

 it most difficult to separate it), the present species differs considerably from them in habits: 

 instead of frequenting the desert sandy and stony places, it is to be found on the bush-covered 

 heaths and furze-grown commons, being essentially a bush-bird. Macgillivray remarks that 

 the name Stone-Chat is singularly inapplicable to this species, as it does not frequent stony 

 localities; and he calls it "Black-headed Bush-Chat:" but, although I fully agree with him 

 in what ho says, I have not deemed it expedient to alter the name by which it is so commonly 

 known. Speaking of its habits, this gentleman writes : — " although no where abundant, it is 

 to be seen here and there on commons, heaths, and hill pastures overgrown with whins, juniper, 

 and other low shrubs. I have met with it at all seasons ; but in Scotland it is of frequent 

 occurrence in winter, although I have seen it and obtained recent specimens there even in the 

 midst of severe snow-storms. Even in England it appears to be rarer in winter ; so that probably 

 a partial migration takes places. It is very seldom observed on the ground, its favourite station 

 being the top twig of a whin bush or other shrub, whence it sallies forth on wing in pursuit of 

 insects. When pursued it flits with rapidity from bush to bush, seldom allowing one to get 

 within shot, and now and then concealing itself among the twigs. If wounded, it creeps among 

 the herbage, and is with difficulty traced, although birds of this size are seldom so little injured 

 by shot as to proceed far. 



" If you watch its motions, without alarming it, you observe that it flits about by short 

 starts, with a direct flight, perches on a twig, jerks its body and tail, utters at intervals a sharp 

 note resembling the syllable snack, now and then flies off in pursuit of an insect, creeps among 

 the foliage, and sometimes hops along the ground, or takes its stand on a turf or other eminence. 

 I have always found its stomach exclusively to contain insects, chiefly small coleoptera, and 



without any intermixture of mineral particles In winter I have seen this species about the 



gardens and even the doors of cottages, apparently not much less familiar than the Robin ; but 

 this happens only in severe weather; for at this season it generally continues in its summer 

 haunts, or betakes itself to thickets and hedges. Its song is short, modulated, and not unplea- 

 sant, being very similar to that of the Whin-Chat, and frequently performed while the bird is 

 hovering over a bush. It is seldom heard before the beginning of April, or after the middle 

 of June. 



" Mr. Weir remarks that in the neighbourhood of Bathgate, in Linlithgowshire, they 

 generally remain among the whins, but that in severe winters they leave them and retire to 

 swampy situations. 'In January 1837,' he continues, 'I saw two or three of them on the 

 public road, within a few yards of a house, in search of food. They sit on the highest branch 

 of a whin-bush, cry chert, chert several times, then rise in the air, and hover like a Hawk while 

 they sing their little song. Of all the nests of which I have been in pursuit, theirs is the most 

 difficult to discover, as it is usually built in the middle of a collection of whins, and covered by 

 them. The best way to find it out is to watch the female when she comes off her eggs to take 

 food. Even then she will not go in until you retire to so great a distance that you will scarcely 

 be able to observe her, as she hops so quickly from bush to bush, and then in a moment dis- 



