: 26 DESERT WHEATEAR. 



In winter it occurs in North-western India, Scind, Baluchistan, 

 Southern Persia, Somali-land and Abyssinia. Mr. J, H. Gurney, 

 junr., describes it as the most universally distributed species of the 

 genus in the Algerian Sahara. 



The nest of the Desert Wheatear is placed in crevices of rocks, 

 walls of wells, in burrows, or under bushes. The eggs are of a 

 greenish-blue, paler than those of the Black-throated Wheatear, with 

 liver-coloured spots round the larger end : measurements 75 by "5 

 in. The food appears to be ants and other insects ; the stomach of 

 the one shot at Alloa contained small flies. In its movements it is 

 even more restless than the Common Wheatear ; and its song is 

 said to be short and pleasing. The individuals observed by 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., were estimated by him as being in the 

 proportion of about eight in male plumage to one in female dress. 



The male in spring has the crown sandy-grey, shading into buff on 

 the back and lower wing-coverts ; secondaries, brown in the centre, 

 with pale margins : primaries blackish, with light margins to the 

 inner webs, very conspicuous on the underside ; under wing-coverts 

 and axillaries black tipped with white ; tail-coverts white ; tail black 

 almost to the base ; under parts white, washed with bufif on the 

 breast ; throat and sides of neck to shoulders black ; a whitish 

 streak above and behind the eye. Bill, legs and feet black ; the 

 latter small for the size of the bird. Length 6 in. ; wing to 

 the tip of 3rd and longest quill 3-85 in. The female is duller 

 and greyer on the upper parts ; wings brown, the under surface 

 buff: and the black throat is absent. The young is like that of 

 S. stapaziita^ except for its characteristic blackish-brown tail, and 

 larger size. 



The members of this group are frequently denominated ' Chats,' 

 but I have used the term ' Wheatear ' to emphasize the difference 

 between the longer-tailed, white-rumped species, and the shorter- 

 tailed, streaked-rumped ' Bush-chats ' of the genus Pratiucola. The 

 latter are considered so distinct by Mr. R. B. Sharpe that he has 

 even gone the length of placing them among the Flycatchers 

 {Muscicapichc). 



