SAXICOLA MCESTA 47- 



small rodent, was in almost level ground, where a few scrub plants 

 served to hold the light crumbling soil together. Like the other two, 

 this hole extended about a yard in length, but in a slightly oblique 

 downward direction. This nest contained only four eggs, very slightly 

 incubated. In colour they resembled those previously found, but the 

 spots were fewer and more minute, in one egg being almost entirely 

 wanting ; in another, the few there were, being collected in a zone at 

 the larger end. In shape these eggs were more oval than those of the 

 other two clutches. The following are the measurements of two of 

 them: (a) 24 X IS'S mm. ; {b) 23 x 16 mm. 



" I secured the hen-bird in each instance, after having seen her 

 enter and leave her nest-hole, and in two of the cases I shot what 

 was presumably the cock-bird as well. I doubt the male parent taking 

 much, if any, part in the incubation of the eggs, as although generally 

 to be seen in the immediate vicinity of the nest, I failed to observe 

 it enter or leave the hole in any one of the three cases I have men- 

 tioned. The fact also of the male birds being so much oftener seen 

 during the breeding season than the females, would tend to support 

 this supposition, allowing even for the more conspicuons plumage 

 of the former. 



" Saxicola moesta is, without doubt, an early breeder, and has 

 more than one brood in the course of the season, young birds of this 

 species, fully fledged and able to fly, being met with at the beginning 

 of April, or even earlier, and probably the three clutches of eggs found 

 by me were all of a second laying. At Ras-el-Aioum I shot a young 

 male S. moesta on April 13th, which must have been nearly two 

 months old, and at Oglet-Zelles I saw two or three young broods 

 of this species shifting for themselves at the middle of April. 



In its mode of life and general habits S- moesta resembles S. 

 deserti. It is by no means a shy bird, and will often allow one to 

 approach within a few feet of it before taking flight, indeed I consider 

 the present species and S. deserti both remarkably tame and trustful, 

 differing greatly in this respect from most other species of Chat. The 

 male bird has a most melodious note, its short rippling song being 

 singularly sweet and pathetic. As a rule this song is uttered by the 

 bird when perching on a bush or low plant, but I have often known 

 it sing when on the wing, flying from bush to bush. When taking 

 such short flights the bird is in the habit of spreading its tail like a 

 fan, after the manner of S. leucura. I have never known S. ma-sta 



