A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE loose stone walls, stone heaps, rabbit holes and crevices in the rock. The breeding range of this species has evidently become more restricted during the past century, as the older writers speak of it as a common bird. At present it is confined to the north-western portion of the county, Thorpe Cloud being the southern limit of its breeding grounds. 8. Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (Linn.). Locally, U-tick, Furze Bunting (N. Wood). A common summer visitor to all the low- lying parts of the county, more especially to the southern plain where it is very plentiful. The whinchat arrives about a month later than the wheatear, and the eggs are usually laid during the latter half of May and are generally six or seven in number. Sometimes the nest is placed in a tussock in the open field, at other times on a bank side or in a small bush. It is usually well concealed, but the cock bird is very demonstrative as long as any one remains in the vicinity. 9. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.). Locally, Stone-chatter (Pilkington). Apparently this bird was formerly a not uncommon resident, but at the present time it is exceedingly scarce and its somewhat erratic appearances are made during the summer months. No doubt the enclosure of waste lands and commons have contributed to diminish its numbers, but it is remarkable that a bird which was considered in 1863 by Sir Oswald Mosley to be more plentiful than the whinchat should now be quite a rarity. A pair or two may occasionally be found breed- ing in the upper Dove valley and in the Bake- well district, while single birds have been re- ported from different parts. In 1886 two nests were found near Ashbourne, one contain- ing five eggs and the other newly hatched young. 10. Redstart. Ruticilla phoenlcurus (Linn.). Locally, Firetail, Redster. A common summer visitor, being found both in the stone wall country and also in the well wooded valleys, arriving generally about the middle of April. It is perhaps most numerous in the north, west and extreme south of the county and rather local in the central plain. The nests are built in holes of almost any kind, in stonework, rocks or trees, especially when covered by ivy. A nest at Ashbourne was built inside an old swallow's nest in an outhouse, and at Clifton a pair were found breeding near the end of a hori- zontal bough of a Scotch fir. 11. Black Redstart. Ruticilla titys (Scopoli). A hen bird was recorded by Mr. J. J. Briggs (Zoo/, p. 5365) as having been trapped accidentally at Melbourne on November 3, 1856. Another was seen shortly afterwards. 12. Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula (Linn.). A very familiar resident. In spite of its confiding habits the robin generally exercises a good deal of caution in keeping its nesting, place secret even when built quite close to a house. The eggs vary a good deal : white or almost white specimens are not uncommon, and one particularly fine clutch is boldly marked with deep red on a white ground. A cream coloured robin is in the possession of Mrs. Briggs from Chellaston. An instance of the robin breeding in December is recorded in the Ornithologist (p. 58). 13. Nightingale. Daulias luscinia (Linn.). A regular visitor in small numbers to the south and south-east of the county. Occa- sionally a pair or two nest in the Dove valley and on the eastern border. Mr. E. Brown, writing of the Burton dis- trict, says : ' During one season about ten years ago (i.e. about 1853) h' s bird was to be found in every grove in the district, but it has rarely occurred since.' More or less dependable reports of the occurrence of this bird in spring have been received from Creswell, Bakewell and Winster. A pair certainly bred about 2 miles from Ashbourne in 1895, and in the lower Dove and Trent valleys they have fre- quently been noticed. In 1901 several pairs bred near Derby (W. H. Walton), and a cock bird in full song was reported from Snelston. On the Nottingham border they appear occa- sionally, especially in the neighbourhood of Sherwood Forest. 14. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea (Bechstein). Locally, Jacky Scrawch, Hayjack, Peggy White- throat, Thinstraw. A very common summer visitor to all the valleys and low-lying districts of the county, but absent from the high ground and therefore very local in the north-west of the county. 15. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca (Linn.). A summer visitor, as a rule in much smaller numbers than the preceding species. Its numbers however vary considerably, and some- times its monotonous little song may be heard in all directions. Its distribution is similar to that of the common whitethroat. 124
