Montacilla Rubetra, _Linnæus_; Le Tarier, ou Le Grand Traquet,
BUFFON; Der Braunkehliger Steinschmätzer, BECHSTEIN.
This is a delicate bird that is met with throughout Europe, among
scattered bushes and abrupt declivities. It is four inches ten lines in
length, of which the tail measures an inch and a half. The beak is
black, as also the legs, which are nine lines high; the upper parts of
the body are dusky, in very old birds black, but streaked with pale
rust-red, as all the feathers are edged with this colour; a white line,
beginning at the nostrils, passes above the eyes as far as the ears; the
cheeks are dusky, spotted with chestnut; the throat and breast are
yellow, inclining to orange, the former edged with white on the sides
and chin.
The colours are paler in the female, the streak above the eyes is
yellowish; the upper part of the body dark brown, spotted with rust; the
cheeks dark brown; the throat reddish-white; the breast pale orange,
with small round, black and brown spots, which gradually disappear from
age.
These birds vary till the third year. The young ones, which may be seen
perched on cabbages and other plants, even on strong wheat stalks, have
the whole of the upper part of the body covered with red and blackish
spots, and each feather edged with this colour before the first
moulting; the under part of the body is like the female. I killed two in
their second year, that still had dusky spots on the breast, though they
had become darker on the back; in general, the two sexes may be
distinguished by the deep brown of the cheeks and back.
HABITATION.--When wild they generally frequent the skirts of woods.
They appear amongst us the beginning of May, and depart towards the
end of September. In August they may be seen scattered over the
fields, on the stalks of plants, or detached bushes.
In the house they must be kept in a nightingale's cage.
BREEDING.--The nest, constructed of dried grass mixed with moss, lined
with hair and feathers, is commonly placed in a tuft of grass in the
middle of a meadow or orchard. The females lay five or six eggs, of a
fine light blue. Young ones reared on ants' eggs succeed much better
than those taken full grown.
MODE OF TAKING.--In spring, when some of these birds are seen in a
field or meadow, sticks, furnished with limed twigs, should be stuck
there, and the birds gently driven to that side, to induce them to
settle, which they will soon do. In summer, the noose, spring-trap,
and limed twigs, must be employed in the following manner:--If the
noose is used, a stake must be set up, about three feet high, slit at
the top to put in crossways a stick three inches long, and the noose
is placed an inch and a half above, to be of the height of the bird's
breast when it is perched on the stick.
If limed twigs are used, forked switches three feet long should be
employed: the fork, four inches in length, must be covered with
bird-lime. Spring-traps or gins must be suspended to small stakes or
cabbage stalks. As soon as a sufficient number of these spring-traps,
snares, and limed twigs, are prepared, they must be carried to a
cabbage garden, when a number of these whinchats has been seen;
there fix the stakes in cross lines, two or three paces apart; then
go to the end of the garden and drive the birds gently towards the
snares; they jump from one cabbage stalk to another till they
approach the stakes; then you stop, and in a short time the birds are
caught one after another. When they are caught, the prisoners must be
taken out and the snares arranged again; then go to the other end and
again drive the birds forward as before, and thus continue till the
sport is over.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--However gay this bird may appear when free, it
becomes sad and melancholy in the house. If permitted to range, it
only moves to procure food, and then returns to its accustomed place,
and keeps its head sunk on its breast. Its pleasing song very much
resembles the goldfinch's; but what makes it more admired, is, that
it is not only heard during the day, but also in the evening, and
sometimes during the night.