SAXICOLA OCCIDENTALIS 37 



has a curiously marked back, and is evidently abnormal, and possibly 

 a hybrid. 



As a straggler the present species has occurred as far north as 

 Heligoland and in England. 



Although perhaps not quite so abundant as the preceding species 

 in Tunisia, S. occidentalis is fairly common there, arriving, as a rule, 

 after the middle of March, and leaving again in September. I have 

 no note of its occurrence anywhere in the Regency during the 

 winter. 



Like S. caterincB, the present species breeds in Tunisia, both north 

 and south of the Atlas Mountains. 



In Algeria and Marocco this Chat is fairly abundant, and I also 

 have a specimen of it, a male, from Tripoli. 



The Black-throated Chats frequent the same description of 

 country as the Black-eared Chats, and in their habits and life 

 generally greatly resemble those birds, being in fact, as I have 

 already pointed out in the preceding articles, closely allied to them, 

 and forming, it may be said, members of the same group. 



In Tunisia the vast semi-desert plains, and lower hill sides clad 

 ■with a scanty vegetation, seem to be most affected by these Chats, 

 and in such localities one may often detect the handsomely plumaged 

 male birds, perched conspicuously on the tops of low bushes or scrub 

 plants, from whence they are able to keep a good look out around 

 them. Soon after their arrival from the south, pairing commences, 

 and by the beginning of April the nesting season may be said to have 

 begun in earnest. During the period of courtship, these Chats may 

 constantly be observed darting about, and chasing each other, and 

 when thus engaged, they appear to be less shy and wary than at 

 other times. 



Their flight, like that of the Black-eared Chats, is not usually a 

 prolonged one, and the birds are generally to be observed flitting 

 along within a few feet of the ground. In their diet, they do not 

 appear to differ from their congeners, living almost exclusively, if not 

 entirely, upon insects and worms. 



As regards the song of this species, I cannot say I have ever heard 

 what I could call a true song, but according to Loche, the notes are 

 pleasing and varied. 



The Black-throated Chat, as a rule, selects for its nesting place a 

 hole under a rock or tuft of grass, and not uncommonly in a wall, 



