BIRDS 9. Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (Linn.). A common summer visitor, arriving about the middle of April, and leaving in September. Nests freely on the commons and rough grounds, and may generally be regarded as abundant. 10. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.). A partial resident. The bulk of its num- bers leave the county in autumn and return in spring. It is rather local in-its distribution, but nests on many of the furze-covered Surrey commons. 11. Redstart. Ruticilla phaenicurus (Linn.). A regular summer visitor of fairly general distribution. Arrives about the middle of April, leaving again in September, and is oc- casionally noticed in the south metropolitan parks. 12. Black Redstart. Ruticilla titys (Scopoli). A rare winter visitor, sometimes probably overlooked. Has been recorded from the county on six occasions (Bucknill, pp. 22, 23). 13. Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica (Linn.). Has occurred once at Wandsworth (1862), and possibly elsewhere. A very rare straggler (Bucknill, p. 24). 14. White-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula uuolfi, Brehm. A specimen in the Charterhouse collection is stated to have been killed at Guildford Castle (Bucknill, p. 25). The record is not wholly satisfactory. 15. Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula (Linn.). A common resident even within the metro- politan area. Its numbers are largely in- creased by migrants from the continent in autumn. 1 6. Nightingale. Daulias luscinia (Linn.). An abundant summer visitor to all rural Surrey, where it is probably as common as in any other county in England. It arrives in early April and leaves towards the beginning of September. 17. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea (Bechstein). An abundant summer visitor to all rural districts of the county. Known by several familiar names, such as ' hay-tit ' and ' nettle- creeper.' 1 8. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca (Linn.). Another common summer visitor almost as abundant as the preceding species. Both the whitethroats arrive about the middle of April. 19. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla (Linn.). A summer visitor rather more numerous than the garden-warbler, and less retiring. The possessor of a song only equalled by that of the nightingale. Arrives in early April. 20. Garden- Warbler. Sylvia hortensis (Bech- stein). A fairly common summer visitor to the rural parts of Surrey. Seldom arrives before May, and is rather shy. 21. Dartford Warbler. Sylvia undata (Bod- daert). In former years a tolerably common resi- dent in many parts of Surrey, where it fre- quented the thickest furze-covered commons. Chiefly through the eager pursuit of collec- tors it is now restricted to a few remote and secluded corners, where its shy and retiring habits still allow it to skulk in safety and unnoticed. 22. Goldcrest. Regulus crista tus, K. L. Koch. A fairly common resident, receiving con- siderable accessions to its numbers during winter, in which season it is more noticeable than at any other. 23. Firecrest. Regulus ignicapillus (Brehm). Although this species has occurred in all the neighbouring counties, it seems rather doubtful if it can properly be added to this county's list. The recorded examples have hitherto proved to be unsatisfactory records, although there is no reason why it should not have occasionally occurred (Bucknill, p. 52). 24. Chiffchaff. Phylloscopus rufus (Bechstein). A regular and common summer visitor ; one of the earliest of our spring migrants, being usually observed before the end of March. 25. Willow- War bier. Phylloscopus trochilus (Linn.). The commonest summer visitor of the warbler tribe which favour the county with their presence. Arrives early in April, and is very generally distributed even near the metropolis. 26. Wood -Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechstein). The wood-wren, as this species is often called, is a summer visitor of rather local but fairly abundant distribution. It should not be regarded as uncommon, but, being very sylvan in its habits, is often unnoticed in localities where it may be found if searched for in its proper haunts. 205
