Saxicola. 
BIRDS. PASSERES. 
67 
52. C. aquaticns.— Bill black. Irides grey. Feet yellowish. 
Merula aquatica, Will. Orn. 104. Sibb. Scot. 22 — Water Ousel, Penn. 
Brit. Zool. i. 312. Temm. Orn. i. 176 — S, Water-Craw; W, Mwyal- 
chen y dwfr. ; G, Gobha uisge — Resident near rivulets. 
Length 9, breadth 12|- inches ; weight 2| ounces. Plumage above, black; 
the margin of the feathers on the back inclining to grey, and the head and 
neck with a brown tinge. Throat, breast, and upper belly, white, followed 
by a red space ; the remainder underneath, black. In the female, the head 
and neck are cinereous brown ; there is less white on the breast, and the re- 
mainder beneath, is yellowish-red. Nest on the ground, in a mossy bank, 
lined with leaves. Eggs 5 or G, of a transparent white colour. Young, with 
the head and neck greyish ; the Aving-feathers edged with white ; the whole 
belly is Avhitish. Feeds on aquatic insects, Avhich it pursues even under wa- 
ter. Capable of diving, and running along the bottom of pools, by the use of 
its wings. It is subject to considerable variations of colour, especially in the 
proportions of brown and white. 
Gen. XXIX. SAXICOLA. Chat. — Bill enlarged at tlie 
base ; its breadth exceeding its height. Stiff hairs at the 
base of the bill. Mouth black. 
53. S. Oenanthe. Fallow-chat.—Plumage above grey ; the 
front, throat, and band above the eyes, white. 
Oenanthe, Will. Orn. 168. Sibb. Scot. 18. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 383. 
Temm. Orn. i. 237 — E, Wheat-ear, Fallow-smich, White-tail, Chickell ; 
S, Stane-chatter or chacker ; W, Tinwyn y cerrig ; G, Cloichearan. — 
A regular summer visitant. 
Length 6| inches ; weight 6 drams. Bill, legs, and claws black. Irides 
hazel. A black stripe passes from the base of the bill, through the eye, to 
the ear-covers. Wings black. Two middle tail-feathers black ; the rest tipt 
with black, and white at the base. Plumage, beneath, white, with a slight tinge 
of red on the neck. Female, with the cinereous plumage, above, mixed with 
brown, and the white in front inclining to dusky. Nest of dried stalks, lined 
with wool, placed in a hole in the ground, or among stones. The eggs, 5 or 
6 in number, are of an uniform blue colour. The young have the plumage 
above, varied with red, and cinereous, and spotted rvith brown. This species 
varies in size and markings. It arrives in March, and departs in September. 
It is prized at table, and is captured by a noose of horse -hair. 
54. S. ruhetra. Wliincliat. — Crown of the bead, sides of 
the neck, and on the body above, blackish brown ; the margins 
of the feathers pale. 
Oenanthe secunda. Will. Orn. 168. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 385. Temm. Orn. 
i. 244 — S, Whin-ckacker ; W, Clochder yr eithen. — A regular summer 
visitant. 
Length 5 inches ; weight 4 drams. Bill, legs, and claws black. Irides dark 
hazel. A white streak passes from the bill over the eye to the nape, and an- 
other from the chin down each side of the neck. Front of the neck and breast 
ferruginous. Belly and under tail-covers, white. A white patch on the wing. 
Quills dusky black. Tail, with the basal half white ; the rest dusky. In the 
feimle, the white is less in quantity, and has a reddish tinge. The nest is 
placed on the ground, among grass, at the root of a bush, and consists of dried 
stalks, lined with fine grass. Eggs 6, uniformly blue. The young are spotted 
white and grey. This species arrives in April. Frequents broom and furze, 
perching upon the highest twigs, where it occasionally sings very sweetly. 
E 2 
