20 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



The Passero Solitario, as this bird is called in Italy, is greatly 

 prized in that and other Mediterranean countries, not only on account 

 of its agreeable song, but also because of its bright and attractive 

 ways ; for though rather shy in its natural state, it is capable of 

 becoming remarkably tame in confinement, particularly when brought 

 up from the nest. At the present time I have one which is a delight- 

 ful pet. 



The song of the Blue iiock-Thrush is composed of sweet, flute- 

 like notes, resembling some of those of the common Thrush, although 

 not quite equal to them. The bird is also a good mimic, and has 

 a facility for acquiring the notes of other birds. 



The nest of this species, which is generally to be found in a 

 fissure or cleft between rocks, or in the hole of a wall, is composed 

 chiefly of root-fibres loosely put together. The eggs, usually five in 

 number, are of a beautiful glossy greenish-blue, and, in the case of 

 all those in my collection, are without any spots. Average measure- 

 ments, 25 X 19 mm. 



Subfamily SAXICOLIN^E. 



SAXICOLA (ENANTHE (Linneeus). 

 COMMON WHEATEAR. 



Motacilla oenanthe, Linii. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 332 (1766). 



Saxicola oenanthe, Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. i, p. 217 (1802); Seebohm, 

 Cat. Birds Bnt. Mus. v, p. 391 ; Malkerbe, Cat. Bais. cVOis. Alg. p. 11, 

 (1846) ; Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 202 (1867); Koeuig, J. f. 0. 

 1892, pp. 301, 416 ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 92. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Gafsa, South Tunisia. 



Crown, neck aud back bluish-grey ; forehead and superciliary stripes 

 white ; lores and ear-coverts black ; wings and wing-coverts black, the 

 secondaries and coverts slightly margined with buff; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts pure white; tail-feathers white at the base, the two central ones 

 being black on the terminal half, the remaining ones black on the terminal 

 third only ; underparts buffy-white ; under-coverts and axillaries blackish, 

 broadly margined with white. 



Iris very dark brown ; bill and feet black. 



Total length 6 inches, wing 3'80, culmen -60, tarsus I'lO. 



