THE WESTERN DESERT-WHEATEAR. 433 



tail- and wing-feathers and greater wing-coverts as adult female ; 

 median and lesser coverts with broad sandy-buff tips. 



First winter. Male. — like adult but feathers of chin and 

 throat with longer white tips sometimes almost entirely concealing 

 black ; tail and wing-feathers and greater wing-coverts bro\\aier- 

 black with broader and more sandy-buff edgings and tips as in 

 adult female ; inner median and lesser coverts usually with sandy- 

 buff and not such white tips as in adult male. The juvenile body- 

 feathers, lesser and median win^-coverts and varying number of 

 imiermost greater wing-coverts and sometimes imiermost secondary 

 are moulted June-Aug., but not primary-coverts or tail nor rest 

 of greater wing-coverts or wing-feathers. Summer. — Same differ- 

 ences as in winter but in much worn plumage only distinguishable 

 from adult male by browner wings. 



First tvinter and summer. Female. — Like adult female. 



Measurements and structure. — (^ A\dng 87-94 mm., tail 57-66, 

 tarsus 24-26, bill from skull 17-18 (12 measured). ? wing 84-89. 

 Primaries : 1st equal to or 1-2 mm. shorter or longer than primary- 

 coverts, 3rd and 4th longest, 2nd and 5th 2-5 mm. shorter, 6th 

 8-12 shorter ; 3rd to 5th emarginated outer webs. Other structure 

 as (2/. ce. oenanthe, but central pair of tail-feathers not noticeably 

 shorter than rest. 



Soft parts. — Bill, legs and feet, black ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — For differences of CE. d. albifrons 

 see under that form ; OS. d. deserti (Nubia, north Arabia) is much 

 like (F . d. albifrons in colour of upper-parts but with less white 

 on imier webs of wdng-feathers and in size equals (E. d. homochroa. 

 For differences of (JE. hispanica see ""Characters" under that 

 species. 



Field-characters. — Haunts hummocky country in deserts, and 

 is rather silent, appearing for a moment and taking short flight 

 before again shelving itself. Sand-coloured, with some black, no 

 white, except on rump. More black in tail and light markings on 

 Avings distinguish it from Black-eared and Pied Wheatears, and 

 black throat of male separates it at a glance from other Wheatears 

 on British List. Has short song, during which it often rises per- 

 pendicularly in the air, but not high. (F.C.R.J.) 



Breeding-habits. — Fovuid in sandy desert, nesting in burrows in 

 sides of hillocks or cavities among roots of bushes and in banks 

 of gullies. Nest. — Loosely built of dry grass-stems and dead plants, 

 with a few bits of wool, feathers, or hair in lining. Eggs. — 3 to 5 

 as a rule, rarely 6, delicate bluish-green, like those of (E. hispanica 

 and spotted with rusty-red, chiefly towards big end. Average size 

 of 43 eggs, 19.9 X 14.9 mm. Breeding-season. — From end March to 

 early May in north-west Africa, 



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