412 
REDSTART. 
transversely barred with black, small and numerous ; legs long, of an 
orange-colour. In some, the rump is of a pure white. *In this state 
they appear on the coast of Holland in the month of March.* 
It is not an uncommon bird upon many of our shores in winter ; 
many breed in our marshes, on the verge of large pools, and in exten- 
sive swampy places. It lays four eggs of an olivaceous-brown, spotted 
and blotched with black, most numerous at the larger end ; in shape 
and appearance much like that of the lapwing, but rather smaller. 
We have seen these birds on Romney Marsh, in the breeding season ; 
and when disturbed from their nest, they fly round like the lapwing. 
*The young of this species are distinguished by having the plumage 
above brown, with yellow margins ; breast cinereous, with narrow 
brown streaks ; the tips of the tail feathers reddish ; base of the bill 
yellow. Little difference seems to exist between this and the red- 
legged sandpiper, (J^. Bewickii, Montagu,) which is doubtless a 
variety of this species.* 
REDSTART (^Sylvia phoenicurus^ Latham.) 
*Sylvia phoenicurus. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 511. sp. 15. — Flem. Br. Anim. p. 68. — 
Motacilla phoenicurus, 1. p. 335. 34. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 987. sp. 34. — Rutacilla, 
Raii, Syn. p. 78. A. 5.^ — Will. p. 159. — Briss. 3. p. 403. 15. — Le Rossignol de 
murailles, Buff'. Ois. 5. p. 170. t. 6. f. 2. — Ib. pi. Enl. 351. f. 1. and 2. — Bechst. 
Man. des Ois. Fr. p, 624. — Bec-finde murailles, Emm. Man. d’Orn. l.p. 220. — 
Schwarzkeliger Sanger, Meyer, Tassehenb. Deut. 1. p. 244. — Bechst. Naturg. 
Deut. 3. p. 607. — Frisch, t. 19. f. 1. male. t. 20. f. 1. A. and fig. 2. A. female, fig. 
2. B. young male. — Geckraagde Roodstaart, Sepp. Nedrel. Vdg. 4. p. 361. — 
Redstart, Br. Zool. 1. No. 146. — Arct. Zool. 2. p. 416. B. — Will. (Angl.) p. 
218 Lath. Syn. 4. p. 421. 11. — Lewin’s Br. Birds, 3. t. 108. — Alhin, l.t. 50. 
— Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 8. — Mont. Orn. Diet. — Ib. Supp. — Don. Br. Birds. 4. 
t. 82. — BewicFs Br. Birds, 1. f. 208. — Syme, p. 135. — Sweet’s Br. Warblers, p. 
2. — Selby, pi. 46. fig. 3. p. 184. 
Promncial. — Redtail. Brantail. Firetail. * 
This species of warbler weighs about three drams and three quarters ; 
length five inches and a half ; bill black ; irides hazel ; forehead white ; 
the crown of the head, hind part of the neck, and back, deep bluish grey ; 
cheeks and throat black ; breast, sides, and rump, rusty red ; tail red, 
except the two middle feathers, which, as well as the wings, are brown ; 
legs black. 
The Redstart comes to us early in April, and leaves us the latter end 
of September. It is not uncommon in many parts of England ; makes 
its nest in a hole of a wall or of a tree, which is composed of moss, and 
lined with hair and feathers ; lays five or six eggs of a fine blue colour, 
rather less than those of the hedge chanter, and of a lighter shade. 
The young are at first speckled all over, not very unlike the young of 
the redbreast. 
The female is of a light brown, with a dash of grey on the head and 
