h 6 the natural history 
The Stone Chat never flies very high, ot 
perches upon trees, but generally alights upon 
the higheft fpray of a hedge, or a bu(h. He is 
eaftly taken with bird-lime, from his habit of pre¬ 
ferring any fingle twig which projects beyond the 
reft. He frequents dry fituations, high fields, or 
extenfive commons : fometimes he perches on the 
.cars of Indian wheat in the fields, or on the higheft 
props in the vineyards. 
This bird builds its neft on waftes, or com¬ 
mons, at the bottom ofabuftj,amongft the roots, or 
under the cover of a ftone, or fometimes fixes it to 
the fide of a rock, but fo fufpicious is the character 
of the Stone Chat, that it retires there in a moft art¬ 
ful and cautious manner, as though afraid of be¬ 
ing feen : it never goes immediately into the neft, 
but firft flies into abuftr at fome diftance ; when it 
leaves its neft it walks a little way from it, and 
comes out of a neighbouring bufb, fo that if you 
fee the bird enter haftily any little thicket, it is not 
there, but at fome little diftance, you rnuft feck 
for its neft. 
The female lays five or fix eggs, both parents 
feed their young with infcdls, which they arc bring¬ 
ing them almoft perpetually. Their cares, and 
attentions, feem increafed when their young are 
able to leave the neft, they are repeatedly call- 
