68 TURDIDvE. 



extent, and a few appear to be resident. The sexes are usually 

 dissimilar, and both sexes undergo a seasonal change of plumage, 

 which in some species causes a very great alteration in their 

 appearance. In all the species and in both sexes the tail is 

 marked with two colours, generally black and white and occasion- 

 ally black and chestnut. 



In Saxicola the bill is about half the length of the head, slender, 

 and not widened at the base ; the rictal bristles are few and weak ; 

 the wing is sharp, the first primary being about one third the 

 length of the second ; the tail is shorter than the wing and nearly 

 square, and the tarsus is moderate. 



The young of Saxicola are in general like the adult female, but 

 each feather of the plumage has a terminal dark bar and a pale 

 centre, causing a mottled appearance. This plumage at the first 

 autumn gives place to that of the adult. 



Ktif to the Species. 



a. Tail white or bufl' and brown ; the lateral 



feathers immaculate or merely obliquely 



marked with black 8, monacha, p. 69. 



b. Tail white and black ; the laterals with a 



hroad band at the tip. 

 a'. Band on lateral tail-feathers not exceed- 

 ing 1 inch in breadth. 

 a". Second primary shorter than sixth. 

 a'". Sexes alike; plumage black and 



white ; wing 4 inches or longer. . 8. albinigra, p. 70. 

 b'". Sexes different ; males black and 

 white ; female brown ; wing under 

 3"7 inches. 

 a 4 . Abdomen white, and crown 



black *S'. picata c? , p. 71. 



b l . Abdomen and crown white .... 8. capistrata $, p. 72. 



c 4 . Abdomen black 8. opistholeuca tf , p. 73. 



d l . Throat and breast dark brown, 

 contrasting with the pale ab- 

 domen 8. picata § , p. 71. 



e 4 . Throat and breast buff, blending 

 softly with the paler buff of the 



abdomen S. capistrata § , p. 72. 



/ 4 . Throat, breast, and upper abdo- 

 men sooty brown 8. opistholeuca $ , p. 73. 



b". Second primary between the fifth and 

 sixth ; sexes different *. 

 c"\ Okiu and throat black. 

 ff l . Back and scapulars of the same 



colour 8. pleschanka tf , p. 73. 



h\ Back buff, scapulars black .... 8. barnesi <$ , p. 75. 



* I am not acquainted with the females of S. barnesi and S. vittata, and con- 

 sequently I do not enter either of these in the Key, nor the female of S. pies- 

 cha.ika. which comes into this same section. 



