220 



U. S p. R. R EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



at the base of the inner webs of all the quills, except the exterior, corresponding and opposite 

 to orange brown patches on the outer webs. The sides are tinged with plumbeous ; many of 

 the feathers margined with this color. 



List of specimens. 



SAXICOLA, Bechstein. 



SaxUola, Bechstein, Gemeinniitzige Naturg. 1802. (Agassiz.) (Type S. oenanthc.) 



Ch. Commissure slightly curved to the well notched tip. Culmen concave for the basal lialf, then gently decurving. 



Gonys straight. Bill slender, attenuated ; more than half the length of head. Tail short, broad, even. Legs considerably 

 longer than the head ; when outstretched reaching nearly to the lip of tail. Third quill longest ; second but little shorter. Claws 

 long, slightly curved ; hind toe rather elongated. 



The genus Saxicola^ represented in North America by stragglers of a single European species, 

 is usually placed far apart from Turdus in ornithological systems, and generally in close 

 association with Sicdia in a sub-family Saxicolinae. As, however, of the numerous other allied 

 genera of Saxicolinae in the old world, these two are the only ones found in the new, it will 

 create no confusion to bring them with Turdus into one sub-iamily, Turdinae, in view of their 

 really close relationships. 



SAXICOLA OENANTHE, Bechst. 



stone Chat. 



Molacilla oenanllu, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 17CG. 



" Saxicola ncnimihe, Bechst. Gcmein. Natiirg. 1802," and of European writers, as of Bonap. Consp. 1850, 303. 

 7Saxicola oenantlmdes, Vigors, Zool. Blossom, 1639, 19, (N. W. coast.)— Cassin, Illust. 1, vii, 1854, 208 ; pi. xxxiv. 

 (Nova Scotia.) 

 Sp. Cii.— (Description from European specimen.) Forehead, lino over the eye, and under parts generally, white ; the latter 

 tinged with pale yellowish brown, especially on the breaft and ihroat. A stripe from the bill througli, below, and behind tlio 

 eye, vfith the wings, upper tail coverts, bill and feet black. Tail while, v/ith an abrupt band of black (about .60 of an inch 

 long) at the end, tliis color extending further up on the middle feather. Rest of upper parts ash gray ; quills and greater coverls 

 slightly edged with whitish. Length, fi.OO ; wing, 3.4.'> ; tail, 2.50 ; tarsus, 1 .11.'). 



//at. — Greenland. Accidental in northern part of North America. Common in Knropc. 



The preceding descriiition is taken from u South European skin of this species, which, in all 



