[Illustration]
Motacilla OEnanthe, LINNÆUS; L'OEnanthe, ou Le Culblanc,
BUFFON; Der Weisschwanz, BECHSTEIN.
This bird, found throughout Europe and the northern parts of Asia,
resembles the wagtail in size and air; but its tail being only an inch
and ten lines, its total length is only five inches and a half. The
beak, seven lines long, is black, as well as the iris and feet; the
shanks are an inch high; the forehead white, and a white streak passes
above the eyes, crossed by a black line springing from the nostrils,
which also tints the cheeks; all the upper parts of the body and the
scapulars are of a light ash-grey colour, slightly tinged with a reddish
hue.
The back of the female is reddish grey, and the under parts of the body
darker than in the male; the lesser wing-coverts are edged with
rust-red, and the white of the tail is not so clear as in the male, but
is of a reddish tint.
The young ones, before moulting, are spotted with red on a dark brown
ground, on the upper part of the body; on the under speckled with orange
and black. After moulting, both males and females retain for another
year the colour of the female on the back, that is to say, reddish grey.
HABITATION.--When wild this species frequents stony and mountainous
places; and, during their migration, they may be seen resting in the
fields, on the tops of isolated stakes, and other similar places;
rarely on trees or bushes. They take their departure during the first
fortnight in September, and return towards the middle of April, when
white frosts cease.
In the house these birds must be kept in nightingales' cages, or shut
up behind a grating, and not suffered to range until accustomed in
their prison to their new food; for, unless taken good care of at
first, they will soon die. They can rarely be tamed.
FOOD.--When wild they feed on flies and other insects, which they
catch as they run along.
In the house they must be given plenty of meal-worms and ants' eggs
as soon as they are taken; for, if not fed profusely, they will die,
and what is rather astonishing, of diarrhoea, although they have
not eaten any of the common house-food. Afterwards they may be fed on
nightingales' food, and occasionally on white bread soaked in boiled
milk; yet, with every attention, they can rarely be preserved more
than two years.
BREEDING.--Their nests, formed of stalks of grass and feathers, are
generally placed in the crevices of some stone-quarry, sometimes in
holes on the banks of streams or rivers, or in an empty mole-hill, or
even on a heap of stones. They lay from five to six eggs, of a
greenish white. To rear the young ones, they must be taken when
half-fledged, and fed on ants' eggs and white bread soaked in boiled
milk.
MODE OF TAKING.--Limed twigs must be placed on the stones or stakes
where these birds rest, or even on sticks fixed in the ground for the
purpose, and they must be driven gently towards the snares.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--No one would take the trouble to tame a
full-grown wheatear, unless passionately fond of keeping birds. I
have one, that, by the use of plenty of fresh ants' eggs, has been
accustomed to range the room. Its plumage is pleasing, its actions
graceful; it is continually waving and spreading its fine tail. Its
song is passable, but is interrupted every now and then by a kind of
scream.