24 ELACK-THROATED WHEATEAR. 



regions in winter, and meeting in Tunisia. The extremes of each 

 are distinguishable in adult males, but there appear to be numerous 

 intergradations, and I have therefore treated the bird under one 

 heading. 



The Black-throated Wheatear is very common in Southern 

 Europe from the middle of March ; making a loose nest of bents 

 and grass in holes and crevices, especially in old ruins ; and the late 

 Mr. Seebohm found it breeding in the Parnassus up to an elevation 

 of 3,000 feet. The eggs, rather elliptical-ovate in shape, are of a pale 

 sea-green colour, freckled with brown: measurements, 75 by "6 in. 

 In song, habits and food, this species resembles the Common Wheat- 

 ear. The name stapazina refers to its noisy scolding note. 



The adult male in spring has the forehead white, the crown and 

 upper back golden-buff, becoming paler as the season advances ; 

 throat, lores and ear-coverts black ; wings nearly black ; lower back 

 white ; the two central tail-feathers black almost to their bases, the 

 rest white, margined with an amount of black which is subject to 

 great diminution and partial disappearance with age ; under parts 

 buffish-white ; under wi/igcoverts black ; bill, legs and feet black. 

 In July and August, when the autumn moult takes place, the crown, 

 nape, upper back and breast are rich buff; the wing-coverts and 

 secondaries broadly margined with pale buff. Length 5 "6 in. ; wing 

 3*5 in. The female differs in having the throat merely mottled with 

 black ; the head streaked with hair-brown ; upper back sandy- 

 brown ; wings dark brown ; under parts dirty buff. The young 

 resemble the female in general, but are rather more rufous ; and 

 they have less white on the tail than the adults of the respective 

 sexes. 



To obviate the perpetuation of confusion, it must be remarked 

 that the species here described is the one which Mr. Dresser in his 

 'Birds of Europe' called "^'c/avV^/^ r/(/(Z (Russet Chat)" ; but the 

 bird was re-instated under its old and well-known name by the 

 Committee of the British Ornithologists' Union. Unfortunately 

 Mr. Dresser transferred the specific name stapazina to the Eared 

 Wheatear, S.albicollis (Vieill.), S. aiirita (Temm.), another southern 

 species, which has not yet visited our islands. 



