448 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Distribution. — England. — Male and female near Rye Harbour 

 (Sussex) seen Aug. 31, 1909, and shot Sept. 2 and 16 respectively 

 [ut supra). Male seen (subspecies unknown) Fair Isle (Shetlands) 

 Sept. 28-30, 1912 (W. E. Clarke and Duchess of Bedford, Scot. Nat., 

 1913, p. 26). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Portugal and Spain, Riviera, and, ap- 

 parently, in Sicily, but not in Greece. Replaced by ffi". I. syenitica 

 in north-Avest Africa. 



185. GEnanthe leucura syenitica (Heugl.). — THE NORTH 

 AFRICAN BLACK WHEATEAR. 



Saxicola sybnitica Heugliii, Jovirn. f. Orn., 1869, p. 155 (E]-Kab in 



Upper Egypt. Type examined by Harteit). 



(Enanihc leiicura syenidca, T. Parkin, Brit. B., ix, p. 200. 



Description. — Adult male. — Like that of Q^. I. leucura but consider- 

 ably more tinged with brown, especially on croAvn, fore-part of 

 which in first winter and summer birds is often broAvn ; feathers 

 of vent and ventral end of flanks Avith more white at tips ; tail- 

 feathers with more black at tips than in (E . /. leucura (measured 

 as in CE. I. leucura black is in central feathers 34-43 mm., in fourth 

 from outer 12-18 mm., never divided Avith white as is frequently 

 the case in (E. I. leucura). 



Adult female. — Upper -parts dark brown not brown-black 

 as in (E. I. leucura ; fore-part of crown paler broAvn than rest of 

 upper-parts ; iinder-paits usually paler broAvn than in (E. I. leucura 

 and belly sometimes greyish ; feathers of vent and ventral end of 

 flanks Avith more white at tips ; black on tail-feathers measured 

 as in (E. I. leucura is in central feathers 34-40 mm. and in fourth 

 from outer 13-18 mm., never divided Avith white as is sometimes the 

 case inCE.l. leucura. 



Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — Except for amount of black on tail, as (E. I. 

 leucura, but female Avith feathers of under-parts more distinctly 

 tipped pale brown but not so much as in adult female. 



Measurements. — J Aving 92-102 mm., tail 63-68, tarsus 26-28.5, 

 bill from skull 19-22 (12 measured). $ Aving 89-95. 



Breeding-habits. — Nests under boulders, in fissures in cliffs or 

 holes in steep mud-banks and builds a sloping breastwall of 

 flakes of stone, each about 2 inches across, on outside of nest. 

 Nest. — Carelessly built of dead vegetable matter and profusely 

 lined with hair and feathers. Eggs. — 3 to 5, white with a bluish 

 tinge, and sometimes boldly marked Avith sienna spots, often 

 forming zone at big end, sometimes only sparingly. Average of 

 60 eggs, 23.4 X 17.3 mm. Breeding-season. — March and April. 

 Incubation. — Chiefly at any rate by hen. Probably tAvo broods. 



