22 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR. 



to be a resident. Eastward it is found in summer across Siberia 

 south of 56° N., and Central Asia up to 10,000 feet above sea-level, 

 to Northern China and the Upper Amoor ; migrating to Northern 

 India, &c. 



The nest is generally placed in burrows ; those of such rodents 

 as Lagomys ogotona and Spennophilus eversmannihting utilized on the 

 steppes of Daiiria ; while near Smyrna the extensive tunnels formed 

 by the Asiatic mole-rat {Spalax typhlus) afford a convenient retreat. 

 The eggs are pale blue, similar to those of the Common Wheatear, 

 but a trifle larger : measurements '82 by "65 in. Breeding com- 

 mences in February in Abyssinia ; while by the middle of May 

 young are to be found nearly fledged in Asia Minor. Two 

 broods are probably reared in the season, as Canon Tristram found 

 eggs in Palestine in June. Mr. Danford, who observed this Wheatear 

 frequenting barren ground, bushy hillsides, and even fir-woods in 

 Asia Minor, where it arrived March 9th, describes its notes as very 

 peculiar, " the most striking being a cry resembling that of a Sand- 

 piper, which is uttered as the bird descends, after its hovering flight 

 and lark-like song." The call-note is zri, zri, zri. 



Adult male : upper parts pale sandy-brown ; a buffish-white streak 

 from the base of the bill uj)wards to the back of the eye ; lores 

 black ; ear-coverts pale brown ; upper tail-coverts white ; the two 

 central tail-feathers blackish-brown almost to their bases which are 

 white ; the remainder white for the basal third of the length, and 

 blackish-brown, narrowly tipped and margined with buff, on the 

 lower two-thirds ; wings brown, edged with buff, especially on the 

 secondaries and coverts ; under parts buffish-white, deeper on the 

 neck and breast ; imdcr zving-coverts and axillaries wJiite ; the imder- 

 side of the quills being also conspicuously paler than in the Com- 

 mon Wheatear. Bill and legs black. Length 6-5 in. ; wing to 

 the tip of the 3rd and longest quill, 3 '9 in. ; tarsus i'2 in. 

 Female : duller in plumage and slightly smaller than the male. 

 Young : streaked with dark brown on the head, neck and breast ; 

 wings and tail broadly margined with rufous-buff. In autumn, as 

 with other Wheatears, the buff margins to the wing-feathers are very 

 pronounced. 



The distinguishing characteristics of the Isabelline Wheatear may 

 be thus summed up : — it is larger, more tawny, and has more black 

 in its comparatively short tail than any Common Wheatear ; the 

 colour of the under-wing is much lighter, and the bill and tarsi are 

 longer. 



