A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE 



south Devon, it is met with on the south- 

 western borders of Dartmoor (where it is 

 known to breed), about the various 'leys* 

 in the Kingsbridge district in spring, near 

 Plymouth, Totnes, Teignmouth, Torquay, 

 Exmouth, Woodbury Common and Ax- 

 mouth. In north Devon it is a scarce species. 

 It has been observed on Lundy Island. On 

 24 and 26 April 1891 whinchats were ob- 

 served on several parts of the south coast in 

 unusual numbers. 



10. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.) 

 Locally, Furze-chat. 



Resident. Frequents moors, heaths, marsh- 

 lands, and the cliffs of the sea-coasts. It is 

 nowhere plentiful, but is generally to be found 

 in suitable localities. Many have been 

 observed to pass the Eddystone Lighthouse in 

 October going south. 



11. Redstart. Rutici lla phcenicurus {hinn.) 

 Locally, Fire-tail. 



A well known summer migrant around 

 Exeter and in sheltered places between that 

 city and Totnes, but scarce in the extreme 

 west of the county and in the southern 

 promontory, being only seen on migration in 

 spring and autumn in the Kingsbridge 

 district. It is very common in the leafy lanes 

 about Chagford and breeds there, but is said 

 to have been unknown in that neighbourhood 

 less than twenty years ago. In i860 how- 

 ever it was observed and fairly common. It 

 is now not uncommon in north Devon. It 

 usually arrives about the third week of April, 

 but sometimes earlier, and departs in Septem- 

 ber, on the night of the 23rd of which 

 month, in 1901, Mr. Eagle Clarke obtained 

 some examples at the Eddystone Lighthouse. 



12. Black Redstart. Rutkilla titys (Scopoli) 

 A winter visitor, arriving sometimes as 



early as the end of September or the beginning 

 of October, but generally about the last week 

 of November and remaining until the end of 

 March or the beginning of April. 



The black redstart is frequently observed 

 on the south-west coast of the county, 

 especially near Plymouth, at Thurlestone, 

 around Torbay and at Teignmouth. East of 

 the Exe it is much more rarely seen, A few 

 examples have occurred near Exeter and 

 Exmouth. It is rare in north Devon but has 

 been seen at Barnstaple, Instow and Ilfracombe. 

 Bellamy says it has been known to breed near 

 Exeter [Nat. Hist, of S. Devon, p. 206). 



13. Bluethroat. Cyanecula suec'tca (Linn.) 

 An accidental visitor of very rare occur- 



rence. An example is recorded in the 

 Zoologist for 1852 as having been shot near 

 Whimple, about eight miles to the east of 

 Exeter, in September of that year. Another 

 is said to have been seen close to Exeter about 

 1869. A doubtful occurrence in Devonshire 

 is given by M. C. Cooke in the Naturalist for 

 1853. 



14. Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula [Linn.) 

 Locally, Robin, Redocke, Ruddocke (A.-S. 



ruJiiuc). 



An abundant resident. White and buff- 

 coloured specimens have occurred. 



15. Nightingale. Daulias luscinia (Linn.) 



A summer migrant occurring sparingly 

 every year in some part of the county, but 

 principally in that portion lying to the east of 

 Dartmoor. In the South Hams the nightingale 

 is only seen occasionally on migration in 

 spring. Though certainly this delightful 

 songster is by no means plentiful in Devon- 

 shire, it is frequently heard, especially near 

 Ashburton and in the Teign valley, where it 

 has bred regularly for many years, a fact estab- 

 lished by Mr. A. E. S. Elliott {Trans. Devon 

 Assoc. 1902). It is rare in north Devon. 



1 6. Whitcthroat. Sylvia cinerea, Bechstein 

 Locally, Whittybeard, White Drot. 



A summer migrant abundant throughout 

 the county in suitable localities. Arrives 

 about the middle of April, and is seldom seen 

 after August. A very common breeder. 



17 



Sylvia 



curruca 



Lesser Whitethroat. 

 (Linn.) 



This warbler is decidedly very rare in 

 Devonshire, but appears to have been obtained 

 once or twice near Plymouth. The records 

 of its occurrence are few, and some of them 

 are doubtful. It has been reported as breed- 

 ing in the South Hams, and near Dawlish and 

 Tiverton, but probably erroneously. 



[18. Black-headed Warbler. Sylvia melano- 

 cephala (Gmelin) 

 On 16 April 1890, whilst the writer 

 was watching a male blackcap which with 

 many others had just arrived, and was feeding 

 on ivy-berries in a garden at Exmouth, 

 another bird with a jet black head, but with 

 a pure white throat and under parts, settled on 

 a twig close to it, and he was enabled to 

 compare the two birds. The stranger was 

 certainly smaller than the blackcap, and it had 

 a more slender beak, longer, and larger in 

 proportion, than in that bird. It answers to 

 the description of Sylvia melanocephala, a com- 



298 



