76 
British Birds. 
THE 
BLACK REDSTART. 
(Ruticilla titys.) 
and is then often in evidence, but during the breeding season the bird is decidedly shy, 
and it is only before the autumn migration that the species is freely noticed. Then 
in such places as the New Forest and other woods of our southern counties, the 
Redstart is often to be seen on the side of the coppices flying out into the air 
after some insect, after the manner of a Flycatcher, but easily recognisable by its 
red tail. The nest is placed in the hole of a tree or a wood stack, or in the hole 
of a building, the entrance to the latter being often so narrow that even a child’s 
hand cannot be inserted. The eggs are pale blue and from five to six in number. 
This species visits us regularly in winter, journeying from 
east to west along the south coast of England and returning 
by the same route in spring. It is also known as a winter 
visitor to Scotland and Ireland. On the continent it is 
confined to the Western and Central districts of Europe and does not extend 
beyond Southern Norway and Sweden. The Black Redstart is slaty grey, the 
rump and upper tail-coverts being orange-chestnut like the tail ; there is no 
white band on the crown, the forehead being black at its base, like the face, 
throat and breast ; the abdomen whitish, and the flanks slaty-grey, turning 
to cinnamon on the lower flanks and under tail-coverts. The female is 
slaty-brown, the under surface being also of this colour but paler than the 
back, and the under wing-coverts and axillaries resemble the breast in colour. 
Instead of being a frequenter of woods like the Common Redstart, the 
present species seeks the neighbourhood of houses, and resembles the Robin in its 
habits. The nest is built in holes of buildings, and the eggs, from four to six in 
number, are white, with occasionally a faint greenish tinge. 
This Chat is to be observed plentifully on our coasts 
during the autumn migration, when it is preparing for its 
flight towards its winter home in Africa. It is also found in the 
latter season from the shores of the Persian Gulf to North-western India. In 
summer the Wheatear is not only found throughout Northern Europe and Northern 
Asia, but even extends to Greenland, where it has been observed up to 8o° N. 
Lat. The male is slaty blue, with a conspicuous white rump, the tail also is 
white with a broad band of black at the end ; the forehead and eyebrow are white, 
and the sides of the face black, the throat and breast pale tawny-buff', and the rest 
of the under parts creamy white ; the axillaries are white and the under wing-coverts 
black. The female is browner than the male, and the under surface is pale 
sandy-buff. In autumn the plumage of both old and young birds is like that of the 
female, but is rather more rufescent. 
The Wheatear nests in a variety of situations, on the sea-shore in the south of 
England, under a tussock on the downs and moors, or in the stony crevices of the 
mountains of Norway beyond the limits of forest-growth. The nest is very simply 
made of grass with some moss and rootlets, and is lined with hair or a few feathers ; 
THE WHEATEAR. 
(Saxicola anantlie.) 
