1 92 1.] Bird Notes from Southern Spain. 589 



In spring- one was ?.QQn behind Algeciras on 27 February, 

 and in autumn nianj^ were found skulking among the 

 oleander bushes on tiie banks of the Rio de Miel. They were 

 first noted 17 September, and hist seen 5 October. Tlie local 

 bird-catchers knew the bird well, and gave it the name of 

 " Camancho." On being shown one and asked i£ he knew 

 it, one man promptly produced another from his pocket ; it 

 had been caught in a spring-back trap set for larks. 



Saxicola r. rubicola. -^ S \ 5 ? . 



Found throughout the year. They are early breeders; fresh 

 eggs were found on 28 February (full clutch). An unusual 

 site for this bird's nest was noted on the Queen of Spain's 

 (yhair on 28 May, being a hollow in a rock face about 

 two feet above the ground and quite open : the nest contained 

 three young and an addled (tgg. Local breeding birds 

 undoubtedly migrate. There was a great diminution in their 

 numbers at the end of September, but any further movement 

 on their part was masked by the arrival of migrants from 

 the north at the beginning of October. Large numbers of 

 Stonechats arrived at Gibraltar on 17 October ; the great 

 majority passed on, but some, chiefly in pairs, remained 

 during the winter. A return movement in spring was 

 observed beginning on 17 February, and continued until 

 20 March, after which date no Stonechat was seen on the 

 Rock. The breeding birds and all the migrants obtained 

 with the exception mentioned below, were of the typical 

 race. 



Saxicola r. hibernans. 1 ? . 



One female obtained on 12 October is indistinguishable 

 from British birds of corres[)onding date, and is probably a 

 migrant from Portugal. 



Saxicola rubetra. 



Chiefly a bird of passage but occasionally seen in winter. 

 Two females were seen 11 January, 1919. They were 

 observed passing through, both males and f emaleS; on 16 April 

 and again in autumn, 27 September. 



SER. XI. VOL. III. 2 R 



