J 



( 48 ) 



The Redftart. Ruticilla. 



Numb. L 



IT feeds on Beetles and other Infedls, and comes to us in the Summer 

 Seafon ; from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail is five Inches ; 

 its Breadth, when the Wings are extended, nine Inches ; Weight eight Drams. 



The Brcaft, Rump and Sides under the Wings are red ; the lower Belly- 

 white ; the Head, Neck and Back of a lead Colour; the Forehead marked 

 with a white Spot, feparated from the Eyes and Bill by a black Line; the 

 Throat and Cheeks under the Eyes are black, with a Mixture of gray at 

 the ends of the Feathers. In the Female the Back is of a dufky afh Colour ; 

 the Throat of a paler cinereous ; the Breaft red ; the Belly white. 



The quill Feathers in each Wing are eighteen as in other fmall Birds, 

 all being dufky; the upper covert Feathers black; the nether red. The 

 Tail is made up of twelve Feathers, of which the five outermoft on each 

 Side are red; the two middlemofl dufky; two Inches and a half long. 

 . The Bill is black ; the Legs alfo in the Cock are black; in the Hen both 

 Bill and Legs are paler ; the loweft Bone of the outer Toe is joined to that 

 of the middle Toe. The Tongue is cloven ; the Mouth within yellow ; 

 the hides of the Eyes of a hazel Colour ; the Eyes are furnifhed with nic- 

 tating Membranes. 



This is a very dogged and fullen temper'd Bird ; for if taken old, fhe 

 will fometimes for four or five Days not look at her Meat, and when taught 

 to feed herfelf continues a whole Month without finging ; £he is alfo the 

 fhiefl of all Birds, for if fhe perceive you to mind her when flie is building 

 fhe will forfake what fhe hath begun, and if you touch an Egg fhe never 

 comes to her Neft again ; and if you touch her young ones, fhe will ei- 

 ther ftarve them, or throw them out of the Neft and break their Necks, as 

 has been experienced more than once ; the young are to be taken at ten 

 Days old, and to be fed and ordered as Nightingales ^ keeping them warm 

 in Winter, and they will fing in the Night as well as in the Day, and will 

 learn to whiftle and imitate other Birds ; when taken young they become 

 gentle and very tame. 



The 



