BLAOKSTART.
BLACK REDSTART. BLACK RED-TAIL. TITHT8 REDSTART.
Sylvia Til/ivs, JENYNS.
Svlvia Gibraltarunsu, LATHAM.
Pketnicura Ttt&ys, GOULD.
Fhedula Tithys, Evrox.
Motacilla atrata,
Syhia. Svha—A wood. Ti/hvs— ?
T H I S species is rather common in the southern parts of Europe,
Germany, Thuringia, France, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy,
but very rare in the more northern parts, in Sweden, namely, and
also in Holland, the character of the latter country being of course
unsuited to its Alpine habits—the very Antipodes of them. The
Prince of Musignano obtained one at sea in the spring of 1828, four
hundred miles to the west of Africa, during a gale from the eastward:
it was caught, together with some other small birds, in the rigging
of the ship. The IJlackstart has been met with also in Asia.
This very neat and elegant bird, first made known as a British
one by Mr. Gould, is but of rare occurrence also, generally speaking,
in this country. I am much obliged and indebted to John Gatcombe,
Esq., of Wyndham Place, Plymouth, for a highly-finished drawing of
the nude and female, the latter the first mature one as yet depicted,
and from which the plate is taken. In Yorkshire, two or three are
stated by Mr. Allis, on the authority of Mr. I I . Denny, to have been
caught by some bird-catchers at Osmondthorpe.
The earliest recorded one, before alluded to, was captured at Kilburn,
near London, in the month of October, 1829, and another has since
been observed in the Regent's Bark. One was obtained at Bristol
in 1830; and another in December, 1835, wdiile fiying about in company
with some Stonechats among furze bushes; others have occurred, as
hereafter noticed, in an inland county; one at Worthing in 1849; two