THE WHIN CHAT. 
213 
The name of Chat is earned by the bird in consequence of its extreme volubility, for it is 
one of the noisiest birds in existence. Its song is low and sweet, and may be heard to great 
advantage, as the bird is not at all shy, and, trusting to its powers of concealment, sings 
merrily until the spectator has approached within a short distance, and then, dropping among 
the furze, glides quickly through the prickly maze, and rises at some distance, ready to renew 
its little song. It is a lively bird, ever on the move, flitting from place to place with restless 
activity, and ever and anon uttering its sweet strains. Even in the winter months the Stone- 
chat will make itself audible as it flutters about the furze-grown spots in which it loves to 
live. It is in these localities that it finds its supply of winter food, for the thick furze-bushes 
afford shelter to various worms and insects, and the little Chat is able to procure a plentiful 
meal by digging in the damp ground. 
It is rather difficult to force a Stonechat to leave its shelter, and a shower of missiles 
generally has the effect of making it keep closer within its concealment. This little bird has 
the faculty of making a patch of furze very lively, for it pops in and out in a quick cheerful 
fashion, twitters its pretty song, dives among the rich golden -crowned bushes, and reappears 
with a toss of the head, and a flirt of the wing, as if exulting in the exuberance of its happi- 
ness. In the winter, the same bushes afford it concealment and shelter, for the heavy masses 
of snow only rest upon the furze, and leave abundant open space beneath, in which the little 
bird has perfect freedom of movement, and under which it is sure to find worms and insects 
buried in the soil. Snails, slugs, and other similar creatures always retire for the winter into 
sheltered spots, and they form many a meal for the Stonechat. Plantations, especially those 
that are made of young pines or firs, are favorite haunts of the Stonechat $ but as the branches 
are all at some distance from the ground, the bird seldom, if ever, attempts to build its nest 
under their shade. 
The Stonechat resembles the fly-catcher in some of its habits, especially in its custom of 
feeding on an elevated twig, the top of a post, or the highest pebble of a stone-heap, and 
catching the flies as they pass by its perch. Unlike the fly-catcher, however, it does not make 
choice of one perch, and return to it day after day ; but after catching six or seven flies upon 
one spot, flutters to another, and from that to a third, ever changing its position from time 
to time. 
The nest of the Stonechat is made of mosses, grass of different kinds, and is lined with 
fine fibres, hairs, and feathers. The number of the eggs is from four to six, and their color 
is very pale blue, diversified with numerous minute spots of reddish-brown upon the large 
end of the shell. The colors of the Stonechat are rather pretty. The head, the neck, the 
chin, throat, back, and tail, are deep sooty-black, contrasting boldly with the pure white 
of the tertial wing-coveits, the upper tail -coverts, and the sides of the neck. The remaining 
wing-coverts are deep brown, and the quill-feathers of the wings are also brown. The breast 
is chestnut, and the abdomen yellowish-white. The total length of the bird is rather more 
than five inches. 
The bird which occupies the top of the last illustration is called the Whinchat, on 
account of its fondness for the furze or whin. The stonechat has, however, quite as much 
right to the title, as it frequents the furze as constantly as the Whincliat. 
This species may be easily distinguished from the preceding, by the long and bold white 
streak which passes across the sides of the head, and the absence of white upon the wing- 
coverts. It is a migratory bird, although it has on one or two occasions been seen in the north 
of Europe during the winter. In many of its habits it resembles the stonechat, and might 
readily be mistaken for that bird by any one who was not well acquainted with the two 
species. It sings rather constantly, uttering its sweet strains wdiile on the wing, or while 
perched on some elevated bough. Mr. Yarrell mentions that it is fond of imitating the 
notes of other birds, and that a caged Whincliat has been heard to mimic the whitethroat, the 
redstart, willow warbler, missel thrush, and nightingale. The same bird would frequently 
sing at night. 
Like the wheatear, the Wliinchat becomes extremely fat in the autumn, and as it is prized 
