62 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



eyes and ending in a large pitch on each side of the nape, as also a large 

 and conspicuous alar patch on the secondaries pure white; rump, tail, 

 excepting the two central feathers, which are dark brown, and entire 

 underparts a rich orauge-colour, rather paler on the abdomen and crissuai. 



Iris dark hazel ; bill and feet black. 



Total length 5 inches, wing 2-GO, culinen -45, tarsus -95. 



Adult female, spring, from Djebel Eessas, North Tunisia. 



Above brownish-grey, rump and tail orange, except the two central 

 rectrices, which a,ve pale brown ; underparts pale brownish-grey, tinged with 

 orange, and becoming whitish on the abdomen and crissum. Soft parts as 

 in the male, measurements slightly less. 



Observations. — The females vary a good deal in the colouring of the 

 underparts, some being greyer and others more orange-coloured. The latter 

 are probably older birds, and when in this plumage resemble the females 

 of B. phceiiicurus, although their smaller size is sufficient to distinguish 

 them from that species. There is also a certain amount of seasonal 

 variation, particularly noticeable in the plumage of the male birds, which in 

 winter have the dark feathers of the upper parts margined with brown, and 

 are generally less brilliantly coloured than in spring and summer. 



The young of this species are spotted lii^e young Eobins, the tail only 

 being as in the adult bird. 



Following Mr. Hartert (Nor. Zool. ix, p. 324), I place this species 

 ill a new genus, as it cannot rightly be referred to any previously 

 existing one. Of the four genera, to one or other of which tliis 

 species has hitherto been refeiTed by authors, Biiticilln is no doubt 

 the one most nearly allied to Diplootocus, but the latter differs from 

 that genus in its shape generally, and particularly in having the wing 

 more rounded, with, proportionately, much longer secondaries. From 

 Pratincola it differs still more markedly than it does from Buticilla, 

 the general colouring and pattern of its plumage being totally unlike 

 those of the Bush-Chats, but closel}' resembling those of Buticilla, 

 and the female, at first sight, looks like a diminutive example of the 

 female of B. phoenicunis. The shape of the bill is also quite different 

 from that of Pratincola, and more like that of the Ixedstarts. The 

 habits of the present species are not quite like those of the Ked- 

 starts, and its nest, instead of being placed in the hole of a tree or 

 bank, as in the case of those birds, is usually built on the ground at 

 the foot of a bush or plant. The colouring of the eggs is more like 

 that of the Redstarts. 



From Erithacus and Piiiarochroa. the two other genera to which 



