AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 107 



38. REDSTART. 



Mnticilla phoenicurus. 



This pretty bird, commonly knoAvn amongst us by 

 the name of Firetail, is one of our earliest spring 

 migrants, generally putting in an appearance in the 

 first week of April. Though not very abundant with 

 us, it is by no means uncommon, and is a well-known 

 bird, as its bright and contrasted colours, the curious 

 quiver of the tail, and short sweet song must attract 

 the attention of the most unobservant. In our 

 neighbourhood the Redstart is generally to be seen 

 near buildings, and often selects holes in old masonry 

 as a nesting-site, but it is also very fond of old pollard 

 willows for that purpose, and often chooses very 

 curious and apparently unlikely localities. 



In Spain I found the Redstart very common, 

 especially in the province of Santander, haunting 

 the forests of oak and beech at a considerable eleva- 

 tion, and leaving the neighbourhood of the mountain- 

 villages to its congener, the Black Redstart {Euticilla 

 titys), a bird which has frequently occurred in various 

 parts of England, and appears pretty regularly in 

 November in the neighbourhood of Plymouth. I 

 possess a fine adult male which was killed in our 

 neighbouring county of Oxford. 



Our common Redstart is a very omnivorous bird, 

 and not difficult to keep in captivity ; all sorts of 

 insect food, most fruits, and scraps of potatoes, 

 carrots, and chopped meat seem to be equally accept- 

 able. This species often takes insects on the wing, 

 in the same manner as the Flycatchers ; in fact, in 

 habits it seems to unite some of the characteristics 



