TURDIN.^. 



23 



THE BLACK-THROATED WHEATEAR. 



Saxi'cola stapazina, Vleillol. 



A specimen of this handsome South-European species was shot 

 about the 8th of iNIay 1875, near Bury in Lancashire, and sub- 

 sequently recorded by Mr. R. Davenport, who, as should always 

 be done in the case of such rare visitors, sent the specimen for 

 exhibition at a meeting of the Zoological Society (P. Z. S. 1878, 

 pp. 881, 977). It was a male in adult plumage. 



Although some occurrences formerly recorded under this name in 

 Heligoland were really those of the Desert Wheatear, yet the 

 present species has since been obtained there once, and observed 

 oftener. In France it breeds regularly about as far north as the line 

 of the Loire ; southward, in the Spanish Peninsula, Morocco, Algeria 

 and Italy. In the latter country it meets with S. Jiielanoleuca, Giil- 

 denstadt : a form which some ornithologists consider to be specifi- 

 cally distinct, characterized by a whiter back and larger amount of 

 black on the throat. This form occupies Greece, South Russia, 

 Asia Minor, Palestine and Persia ; botli races migrating wholly or 

 partially to more southern regions in winter. The extremes of each 

 are distinguishable in adult males, but there appear to be numerous 

 intergradations, and I have therefore treated the bird under one 

 heading. 



