tent if no one meddles with the neft ; for the leaf!: derangement
of the eggs, or almoft looking at them, efpecially if the female is
difturbed thereby, caufes her to forfake the neft altogether. It
frequently builds alfo in fome hole of a tree.
The neft is compofed chiefly of mofs, lined with hair and feathers.
The eggs are blue; four or five in number; not unlike, but
rather more elongated than, thofe of the Hedge Sparrow.
It frequently wags the tail *.
It is with difficulty that thefe birds are kept in a cage, not
fubmitting to it by any means.if caught old ; though it may be
brought up from the neft if great care is taken.
Its fong is not ftrong, yet agreeable enough; and will, if
taught young, imitate the note of other birds, and flng by night
frequently, as well as in the day-time.
At large, the food is infeSts, flies, fpiders, ants eggs, and fuch
like ; but when brought up by hand, will bear to be treated as
the Nightingale.
II.
V ar. A.
Le Roffignol de Muraille cendre, Brif. orn. iii. p. 406.
Aldrov. third Redftart, Raii Syn. p. 78. A. 3. Var. 1.—'Will. orn. p. 218.
Description. ' 1 ’ H I S is a variety of the male; and differs in having a long
line of white only on the forehead, the back more cinereous,
and the bottom of .the belly not white.
* It wags the tail iideways, like a dog when he is pleafed, and not up and
down, like the Wagtail.— Br. Zool.
1«
SL ___________ _____ !■ . Jjiâàk..I..:---- . ---- fe________^
t e Roffignol de Muraille à poitrine tachetée, t r if. or*, iii. p. 407.
Roth-fchwentzlein, Frifch. t, 20.
r p h I S is a female, differing from the common only in having
the breaft fpotted with red.
Sylvia tithys, Lin. Syjl. ed, 10. N° 23.— Scop.anmi. p. 157. N® 233.
C CO P O L I feems certain of this being a different bird from
** the Redftart; and fays,, the male inclines to afh-colour: the
throat and breafl black: belly, between the thighs, whitifh : elfe-
where varied, with black and white.
The female wholly, brown.
Both fexes have the two middle tail feathers brown; the others
brown at the tips; the reft of the tail feathers and vent red.
It is called by the Italians, Moretto. ; and by the Germans,
Haufroth Schweife..
Le Roffignol de Muraille de Gibraltar, Brif orn. iii. p. 407. N° 16.— Buf.
0if- v. p. 177.
Grey Redftart, Ed*vj. pi. 29.—^r£l% Zool•
g l Z E of the Common Redftart. Bill dark brown : forehead,
fid'es of the head, and throat, black : hind head white, palling
forwards to the eyes : top of the head, neck, back, wing coverts,
breaft, and upper part of the belly, "blueifh grey, or afh-colour:
lower belly white: quills grey brown, edged with white : rump
and tail orange-colour; the two middle feathers of the laft are
brown,.
ir.
V ar. B.
Description«
11.
V ar. C.
D escription.
Female*
l
12..
GREY
REDSTART.
Description.