EUROPEAN WHEATEAR 299 



of indulging in a certain amount of chasing and play they are essen- 

 tially individualistic, flushing singly or in little groups of two or 

 three if disturbed and not flying in close or coordinated formations. 

 This is true of the Mediterranean region as well as of more northerly 

 localities in Europe, and it doubtless applies equally to America and 

 Asia. In its African winter quarters it is also usually met with 

 singly, as has been noted, among others, by Lynes (1925) and Moreau 

 (1937), frequenting open country, especially where there is bare soil, 

 anywhere from the low hot steppe to above timberline. In Tangan- 

 yika Moreau records its occurrence from sea level up to 10,000 feet. 

 With regard to the time of departure from the breeding grounds 

 information is naturally much scantier for the high north than for the 

 British Isles and temperate Europe. At Nijni Kolymsk, east Siberia, 

 the species is recorded as late as September 21, 1911 (Thaver and 

 Bangs, 1914). In Alaska birds are on the move in August and are 

 to be seen at least till the end of the month and probably later. 

 Nelson obtained specimens from August 20 to 25; family parties were 

 still to be seen in the Alaska Range on August 24 (Dixon, 1938); 

 Bishop (1900) shot one at the Aphoon mouth on August 27; and a 

 young male is recorded from Kruzgamepa on August 30 (Thayer and 

 Bangs, 1914). In the Pribilofs it has occurred on September 1 

 (Mailliard and Hanna, 1921). Singularly little is known about the 

 movement of the Alaskan and east Siberian birds between their 

 breeding grounds and the remote winter quarters in east Africa and 

 southern Arabia. Hartert and Steinbacher (1938) state that on the 

 Siberian east coast it is only known as a very scarce passage bird. 

 "The autumn migration even in the case of the most easterly birds 

 must thus be to the southwest, although isolated specimens are known 

 from Japan, the lower Yangtsekiang, and the Philippines." In 

 England the earliest departures from the south coast are early in 

 August, and movement continues till the third week of October 

 (Ticehurst). In central Europe the period of the passage is given as 

 from the end of August or beginning of September to mid-October 

 (Niethammer). In central and south Italy it is from about mid- 

 August to the end of September (Alexander; B. W. Tucker). In 

 Egypt the first birds arrive on the Mediterranean coast about August 

 15, and they are common by the 21st. Passage diminishes about 

 October 21, and the latest record is November 17 (Meinertzhagen). 

 In Kenya and Uganda considerable, numbers arrive in mid-September, 

 and these are augmented throughout October and November (van 

 Someren). It will be understood that the European and African data 

 quoted in this and the "Spring" section are far from exhaustive but 

 are selected as representative. 



