Ornithology of Transvaal. 343 



This Woodpecker frequents the same localities as the Pied 

 Barbet^ but is less plentiful than that species. 



TuRDus LETsiTsiRUPA (Smith). Ground-scraper Thrush. 

 This Thrush is not uncommon amongst the mimosas. 



202. Saxicola GALTONi (Strickland). Familiar Chat. 

 The specimen sent was killed on a farm about fifteen miles 



from Potchefstroom. 



203. Saxicola tephronota^ n. sp. Ash-backed V/heatear. 

 A single specimen sent^ which was shot on the low rocky 



ranges three miles from Potchefstroom ; very few are to be 

 found in this locality ; sex not ascertained. 



[I am not able to identify this Wheatear with any species 

 hitherto described ; and I therefore suggest for it the specific 

 name of tephronota, which is in keeping with its ashy grey 

 back. The following is a description of this specimen : — 



Dimensions taken from the skin — total length 7"4 inches, 

 culmen 0'8, wing from carpal joint 4"6, tail 2'6j tarsus 1'3. 



The crown of the head is brownish grey, but shows a single 

 dirty white feather, which difi'ers from the adjoining plumage ; 

 the entire mantle, except the wing-coverts, clear pale bluish 

 ash-grey ; the lesser wing-coverts pure white -, but some of 

 the external feathers of these coverts have a black shaft-mark, 

 and are tinged with slaty ; the remaining coverts are black, 

 more or less broadly edged with grey on the external web, 

 but with one feather at the edge of the wing black, and im- 

 mediately below this a small white spot ; the quill-feathers 

 of the wing dull black, very narrowly edged and tipped with 

 grey, which is most conspicuous on the tertials ; rump white ; 

 upper tail-coverts white, tipped with slaty ; tail with the four 

 central feathers wholly black, the two external pairs of rec- 

 trices entirely white; of the intermediate pair one feather 

 is quite white, but the corresponding feather is slightly tinged 

 with blackish grey on both webs towards the tip and for the 

 last three quarters of an inch of its length, this tinge becoming 

 stronger as it approaches the tip of the feather, which is white 

 elsewhere. 



The entire plumage of the underparts (other than the tail) 



2a2 



