346 SYLVIID.E. 



in Algeria, wintering in the oases. It also occurs in Morocco 

 and sjiecimens have been sent from Senegal, Gambia and 

 even Fantee on the west coast of Africa. It visits Portugal 

 and Southern Spain, but according to Mr. Howard Saunders 

 is by no means common in the latter. Thence northward it 

 is found throughout the rest of Europe included within the 

 boundary sketched, but Dr. Borggreve notices the fact that 

 it is very scarce and only breeds occasionally in that part of 

 North Germany lying west of the Weser. 



The male has the bill, which is thicker in this species 

 than in the Stonechat, black ; the irides brown : the lores, 

 ear-coverts and a patch under the eyes dark brown ; a streak 

 of white extends from the nostrils over the eyes and ear- 

 coverts ; the feathers of the top of the head, neck, back and 

 smaller wing-coverts very dark brown, with light buff edges, 

 which are broader and tinged with rufous on the rump ; 

 greater wing-coverts black ; the spurious wing white at the 

 base, dark brown at the tip ; the wing-quills dark brown, 

 edged outwardly with buflf, and the secondaries whitish at 

 the tip ; tail-feathers white at the base, dark brown above, 

 and greyish-black beneath, on the distal half, and edged with 

 pale brown. The chin and a line from thence reaching to 

 the sides of the neck, white ; throat and breast delicate fawn- 

 colour, passing into pale buflf on the belly and under tail- 

 coverts. Legs, toes and claws black. 



The whole length rather short of five inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the third and longest primary, 

 three inches ; the first feather very short ; the second primary 

 shorter than the fourth but longer than the fifth. 



In the female, the colours generally are much paler, the 

 white on the spurious wing is less conspicuous ; and the 

 body beneath has less of red and more of yellow in the tint. 



The young have the line over the eyes reddish-buflf, the 

 spurious wing bufliy-white at the base, and the edges of the 

 body- and flight-feathers broader and more tinged with rufous. 



Specimens from India and West Africa are said to be 

 paler in colour than those from Europe. 



