68 
SYLVIAD^. 
THE WHEATEAE. 
Saxicola mnantlie. 
steinkleA 
A regular and extremely abundant summer visitor, arriving 
about the middle of April, and remaining until the middle or 
end of September, or even until early in October in very 
favourable seasons. The arrival of the male almost always 
precedes that of the female by a few days. It is first met 
with, though in very limited numbers, on various parts of the 
coast ; then suddenly, even in the space of a few hours, both 
hills and valleys are covered with them as if by magic. Iimne- 
diately after the arrival, the male begins to select its mate, 
and, at the same time, the well-known merry little song com- 
mences, only to cease when the brood is hatched. It is truly a 
sprightly and happy bird; and, though gifted with no brilliant 
or gaudy colours, is far more pleasing to the eye than many a 
dazzling rarity from tropical countries. Go where we will in 
spring, there, not far distant, is the Wheatear, every action and 
every note reminding us that the worst is past, and that the 
long looked for joyous days are at hand. In my own case at 
least, I have many times found occasion to feel grateful to it 
for diverting my thoughts into a pleasant channel ; for in spite 
of one’s self, it is difficult indeed to indulge in gloomy and 
desponding fancies while, with fluttering wings and grotesque 
actions, the happy bird is warbling his pleasing little song, 
“ literally dancing in the air with delight,” as Mr Gray happily 
expresses it. 
Having recently made a careful search in the whole of my 
small collection of ornithological books, I am greatly perplexed 
to find that although frequent mention occurs of the song 
itself, no allusion whatever is made to the marvellous power 
possessed by the Wheatear of imitating the notes of other 
species. For example, one day in May 1866, upon a hill near 
* Miscalled “Stonecliat ” at Rressay and Balta Sound. 
