296 



entirely of sheep-walk and barren granite rocks, a few low stone walls, and the roughest and 

 wildest of rocky beaches, not in the least resembling the orchards, gardens, and hedgerows one 

 usually associates with the common Redstart. In manners, too, the Black Redstart much 

 resembles the Wheatear, flitting from one mole-hill or big stone to another, or taking an 

 occasional look at the intruder from the top of a low stone wall ; in the peculiar quiver of its 

 tail, however, it much resembles the common Redstart. I did not find it very shy, as it allowed 

 a tolerably close approach, certainly rather more so than the Wheatear would have done." 

 Herr Preyer believes he saw one in Iceland in June 18G0 ; and, according to Captain Feilden 

 (B. of Feer. Isl. p. 7), one was observed by Mr. H. C. Midler on the 12th May, 1870, in the 

 garden of Governor Finden, in Thorshavn, on the Faroes. It has once been obtained in 

 Norway, a female having been shot by Mr. Collett near Christiania in April 1864, Avhich is now 

 in the University Museum of that town ; and it has occurred several times in Sweden. 

 According to Sundevall one was seen at Orebro, in June 1857, by Mr. C. G. Lowenhjelm, 

 and a young male was shot by Mr. Meves at Stockholm on the 9th September, 1854, and is 

 now in the Museum of that town. It has not been recorded from Finland ; but my friend 

 Mr. Sabaniieff informs me that it has once been obtained near Moscow in the spring, and that, 

 according to Daniloff, it breeds in the Government of Orloff; in that of Kieff it occurs only 

 during migration ; and Eversmann records it as not uncommon at the mouth of the Urta and 

 near the Mertvey Kultuk. Pallas observed it at Simbirsk, on the Volga ; and Jacovleff says 

 that it is common enough on the Volga steppes, but he never observed it at Astrachan. In the 

 Baltic provinces and Eastern Germany it appears to be rare. Schauer observed it on the Tatra 

 at an altitude of 6000 feet. Borggreve states that formerly it used to be much rarer in Eastern 

 Germany than it now is. It is much commoner in Western Germany. I never recollect seeing 

 it in Holstein, but found it extremely numerous on the Rhine. Kjasrbolling (Danm. Fugl. 

 p. 179) says that it is "rare in Holstein, commoner in Lauenburg;" and Mr. Bonnez records 

 it as occurring, but rare, near Greenaa. I frequently observed it in Belgium, where it is said 

 to be tolerably common ; and Schlegel says that it breeds in Holland, at Nymegen, Arnhem, 

 Zutphen, Breda, &c. In Northern France it arrives in April and leaves again in October, and, 

 according to Degland and Gerbe, is found in many parts of France, being sedentary in Lorraine, 

 Burgundy, the Basses-Alpes, and Provence. In Portugal, it is said by Professor Barboza du 

 Bocage to be common ; but Dr. E. Rcy only once observed it in that country, and believes it 

 to be rather rare than otherwise. The Rev. A. C. Smith, however, found it very common, and 

 frequently observed it in the crowded town of Lisbon. Lord Lilford, Col. Irby, and Mr. Howard 

 Saunders all agree in stating that it is common in Spain during the winter ; Col. Irby (Ibis, 

 1872, p. 200) says that it nests in the vicinity of Gibraltar; and Mr. Howard Saunders speaks 

 of it as being abundant everywhere in Southern Spain, frequenting the towns and villages in the 

 autumn and winter, but nesting in the hills and broken ground. Mr. A. von Homeyer met with 

 it in the Balearic Isles during the breeding-season. 



Passing eastward, again, I find it recorded by Bailly as a common summer resident in 

 Savoy, frequenting the mountains. He divides it into two species, B. titys and B. cairii ; but 

 subsequent investigation has proved that there is but the one (the present) species, R. cairii 

 having been founded on the young plumage in which it has been known to breed. It arrives 



