84 A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeding in Europe, from about lat. 70^ 

 north in Scandinavia to Mediterranean (in Greece and south Spain 

 only on passage), wintering in tropical Africa. Replaced by 

 paler forms in south Dalmatia and north-west Africa ( ? breeding), 

 in the Caucasus (perhaps also parts of Persia and Asia Minor) , and 

 west Siberia. 



SAXICOLA TORQUATA 



176. Saxicola torquata hibernans (Hart.) — THE BRITISH 



STONECHAT. 



Pratincola torquata hibernans Hartert, Journ. f. Orn., 1910, p. 173 



(England). 



Pratincola rubicola (Linnasus), Yarrell, i, p. 339 ; Saunders, p, 29 ; 



P. t. hibernans, Hartert, Brit. B., iii, p. 315. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, widely distributed, but 

 local and uncertain, often abandoning a localitjr after a few years. 

 Most numerous in coastal regions. Very local in midland plain of 

 England, in Pennines, and in south-west Scotland, but more common 

 northwards and eastwards in Scotland. Breeds sparingly 0. Hebrides, 

 rarely Orkneys, and only occasional visitor to Fair Isle and Shetlands. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — A considerable movement to coast 

 and southAvards takes place in autumn, and probably some indi- 

 viduals leave the country in winter. In many districts^ especially 

 inland, it is only a summer-resident. Passage-movements noted 

 in O. Hebrides and Fair Isle may refer to the Continental race, S. t. 

 rubicola (L.). 



177. Saxicola torquata indica (Blyth)— THE INDIAN 



STONECHAT. 



Pratincola indica Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, xvi, p. 129 (1847 — 



India). 



Pratincola maura (nee Pallas), Saunders, Brit. B., i, p. 7. 



Distribution. — England. — Male near Cley (Norfolk) Sept. 2, 1904 

 (Saunders, Bull. B.O.C., xvi, p. 10, 8bndBrit. B., i, p. 7 ; cf. Hartert, 

 Voj. pal. Fauna, i, p. 708). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — West Siberia, Russian Turkestan to 

 south Ural and western Himalayas, wintering in India generally. 

 Represented by aS'. t. hibernans in British Isles, hj S. t. rubicola* 

 in continental Europe from south Sweden to Mediterranean, east 

 to south Russia and north-Avest Africa, and passing through northern 

 Sahara on migration, by S. t. maura in Caucasus, and by other forms 

 in various parts of Asia and Africa. 



* This form has not yet been proved to occur in the British Isles so far as 

 ■we are aware. 



