— 3 — 



10. Long-billed Wheatear. Saxicola oenanthe rostrata Hemprich 



and Ehrenberg. 

 Not mentioned by Shelley, 

 A somewbat rare visitor during botb migrations. 

 Similar to above, but witb a longer tbinner bill. 



11. Isabelline Wheatear. Saxicola isabellina Cretzscbmar. 



Plate 24, fig. 2. 

 Saxicola saltatrix. Shelley, p. 72. 

 Abundant from August to April ; a few probably breed in 

 Egypt. 



Length 6 inches. Upper parts sandy isabelline ; under 

 parts bufiish brown, undenving coverts luhite, as is also base of 

 tail and the rump ; bill long. Sexes alike. 



12. Eastern Russet Chat. Saxicola hispanica xantJiomelcena 



Hemprich and Ehrenberg. Plates 2, 3. 



Saxicola amfhileuca et S. eurymelcsna. Shelley, pp. 72-73. 



Very common during spring and autumn migrations. This 

 species is dimorphic, i.e. it has two forms or varieties, one of 

 whicb has a black chin and throat, while in the other these parts 

 are whitish. 



Length about 6 inches. Males in summer are nearly white 

 above, with black wings (in some examples, black throats), 

 black tips to tail feathers, black ear coverts, rest of under parts 

 whitish brown. Females duller in colour, with or without 

 greyisb brown throats. In autumn the whole plumage is suffused 

 with brown. 



13. Desert Chat. Saxicola deserti deserti (Temminck). Plate 4. 



Saxicola deserti. Shelley, p. 74. 



Not uncommon ; resident and restricted to the desert. 



Length about 5j inches. Upper parts sandy brown, ex- 

 treme base of tail white, the rest black. Throat black, rest of 

 underparts huffish white. Female similar, but lacks the black 

 throat. Eecognizable from all other wheatears by the small 

 amount of white at base of tail. 



14. Eastern Desert Chat. Saxicola deserti atrogularis (Blythe). 



Not mentioned by Shelley. 

 This form occurs on the east side of the Nile in Lower Egypt 

 and probably in Uj^per Egypt also, as it is common in Nubia 

 and the Sudan in winter. Resembles the typical form but is 

 slightly larger and greyer on the upper parts. 



