492 Mr. M. J. Nicoll — Contributions 



PRATINCOLA RUBICOLA. 



Pratincola rubicola Shelley, p. 81 ; Loat, Ibis, 1906, p. 115. 



The Stoneehat was frequently met with near the cultivated 

 ground on the edge of the lake. A pair obtained Avere 

 assuraing their breeding-dress ; the shedding of the pale 

 edges of the feathers was well advanced. 



Cyanecula suecica. 



Cyanecula suecica Shelley, p. 85 ; Loat, Ibis, 1906, p. 115. 

 Bluethroats were exceedingly common in the cultivated 

 parts and also in the reeds on the edge of the marshes. I 

 shot altogether twelve examples — one adult male of the typical 

 form, two of the white-spotted form, two adult females, 

 and the rest immature birds. Adult males are easily 

 identified, but it is impossible to say to which form females 

 and young belong. 



The young birds vary considerably among themselves as 

 regards the intensity of the blue collar on the breast ; this 

 colour ranges from a deep blackish blue to pale cobalt. 

 In some examples the white band which separates the blue 

 collar from the red band on the lower breast is well-marked ; 

 in others it is absent. I notice that birds with the deepest- 

 coloured blue gorget usually have no white band, while 

 those with the pale blue gorget have this line well developed. 

 All the young males have a more or less well-marked 

 triangular red patch on the lower throat, and the chin and 

 upper throat dull isabelline buff, though several have a line 

 of bright blue feathers running from the gape to below the 

 eye. Adult males have the entire chin, throat, and upper 

 breast, with the exception of the " spot," blue, though in the 

 winter all the feathers are edged with buffy white ; the edges 

 break off as spring advances. I imagine that young birds 

 moult the feathers of the throat in the spring, for one of my 

 specimens has several new feathers "in quill" on the chin 

 and upper throat. 



The subspecies C. suecica wolfi, though it has a totally 

 different breeding-range, appears to winter in Egypt in 

 company with the red-spotted form; however, it is not nearly 



