112 THE BIBDS OF NORTHAMPTOXSHIRE 



41. WHINCHAT. 



Pratincola ruhetra. 



The AYhinchat is a regular, but not a very abun- 

 dant, spring visitor to our neighbourhood. From my 

 own observation I should say that the Stonechat last 

 described merits the name of Whin-, i. e. Furze- or 

 Gorse-Chat, much more than the present species, 

 which I have generally found in England haunting 

 grassy meadows, and particularly grass-grown railway 

 embankments, without, so far as my own observation 

 goes, evincing any special partiality for the furze- 

 brakes which have such an attraction for its congener. 

 The AVhinchat arrives in our district about the third 

 week in April, and from that time may generally 

 be met with year after year in pairs in or about 

 the same spots. The male has a pleasant song and 

 is a sprightly pretty bird, in many of his actions 

 reminding one of the Red-backed Shrike, especially 

 in the habit of darting from his perch on a bush or 

 clod of earth in pursuit of insects, and returning to 

 the same look-out station after each excursion. The 

 ordinary call- or alarm-note of this species is a very 

 distinct " U-tick " several times repeated ; and in 

 some parts of England the bird is known by that 

 name. About the second week of September I often 

 see considerable numbers of Whinchats, many more 

 than are bred in our district, haunting arable land 

 for a few days on their southward migration, but 

 their stay is very short and I do not recollect to 

 have met with one after the end of that month. 



The nest of this bird, though not so difficult to 



