Ornithology of Asia Minor. 17 



is certainly migratory in Asia Minor. A solitary male was 

 shot at Zebil on February 23rd. It had probably wintered 

 on the coast, as a similar specimen was on a former occasion 

 procured on the rocky island of Castello Rosso, Dec. 15th. 



The next appearance of the Arabian Chat was at Anascha, 

 March 9thj one male only being seen ; but the following day 

 the bare stony ground in the valley below the village swarmed 

 with birds of this species. A strong gale had been blowing 

 all the night, during which they must have arrived. Among 

 them were a few Isabelline Chats. These were much shyer 

 than the others, with whom they were continually fighting. 

 The pure black-and-white plumage of the males oi S. erythraa 

 makes them very conspicuous, and accounts in a measure for 

 their appearing to be much more numerous than the females. 

 They frequented both stony ground and ploughed land, and 

 remained in the same neighbourhood from the 9th to the 18th 

 March. After this date, with the exception of one or two 

 seen on the barren mountain-tops, not a single bird of this 

 kind was met with until they were found breeding in the rocky 

 districts of the interior. 



90. Saxicola isabellina, Riipp. 



In the mountains this Chat is common and well distributed, 

 frequenting barren ground, bushy hill-sides, and even fir- 

 woods. Arrived March 9th. In the steppe-country it is 

 especially abundant, far more so than any other Chat. Its 

 notes are very peculiar, the most striking being a cry resem- 

 bhng that of a Sandpiper, which is uttered as the bird de- 

 scends, after its hovering flight and Lark-like song. 



91. CossYPHA GUTTURALis (Guer.). 



Not observed in the Taurus, but exceedingly common in 

 the gardens near Kaisariyeh, where it breeds in the numerous 

 loose-stone walls by which they are divided. Also abundant 

 in the bushy hill-districts near Chorum, but never seen in 

 the wooded country near the Black Sea. A large series shows 

 considerable variation in the size of the white throat -stripe, 

 the depth of the rufous coloration of the underparts, and the 



SER. IV. VOL. II. c 



