
448 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
- The Stone ‘Chat never flies very high, of 
sperches upon trees, but generally alights upon 
‘the higheft fpray of a hedge, or a bufh. Bell 
_ @afily taken with bird-lime, from his habit of pier 
Yerring any fingle twig which projects beyond the 
— Yeft. He frequents dry fituations, high fields, ot 
-extenfive commons ; fometimes he perches on the. 
ears of Indian wheat in the fields, or on the hight 
props in the vineyards. _ 
‘This bird builds its neft on waftes, or com 
--mons, at the bottom ofa bufh, amongtt the roots, of 

‘under the cover of a ftone, or fometimes fixes itto 
the fide of a rock, but fo fufpicious is the charadlet 
of the Stone Chat, that it retires there ina moftart 
ful and cautious manner, as though afraid of be 
ing feen: it never goes immedi: ately into the nef, 
but firft flies i into a buth at fome diftance ; when it 
leaves its neft it walks:a little way Fon it, and 
comes out of a neighbouring bufh, fo that if you 
fee the bird enter haftily.any little thicket, it 1s not 
there, but at fome little diftance, you mutt ek 
\ for its neft. - ' 
The feiale e lays five or fix eggs, both parents 
feed their young with infects, which they are bring 









ing them almott perpetually. Their cares, ant 
attentions, feem increafed when their young aft 
ie 
able to leave the aes they are epeatealy “ 
