546 Mr. H. F. Witherby— Ornithological 



77. Saxicola desekti Tenim. ; Blanf. t. c. p. 148 ; Sharpe, 

 Ibis, 1886, pp. 483 & 496. 



12, 47. Ad. 



The Desert-Wheatear was only noticed at Busbire and 

 Konar Takhteb at the end of March. 



78. Saxicola picata Blyth; Blanf. t. c. p. 153. 



57. c? ad. March 30th, near Konar Takhteh (1700 ft.). 



453. c? ad. June 13th, near Tol-i-safid (3200 ft.). 



Dr. Blanford did not notice this Wheatear west of Shiraz, 

 and it seems to be rare in S.W. Persia, which is, I suppose, 

 the extreme western limit of its range. I observed it only 

 at low altitudes, where it was breeding. 



79. Saxicola isabellina Cretzschm. ; Blanf. t. c. p. 147 ; 

 Sharpe, Ibis, 1886, pp. 483 & 496. 



40, 117, 242. Ad. ; 202. Juv. 



Dr. Blanford remarks that this is probably, on the whole, 

 the commonest Persian Chat, and I also found it to be so. The 

 bird was widely distributed throughout the treeless part of 

 the countr}\ Besides a chirping call, it has a rather loud 

 whistling note, which sounded to me very " un-Chat " like. It 

 has a beautiful fluttering flight while it sings, both the flight 

 and song being much like those of a Crested Lark. On April 

 29th, near Shiraz (5200 ft.), a pair evidently had young in a 

 long winding hole in a rocky bank ; but we very seldom saw 

 holes such as this, and I think that the bird must usually 

 breed under stones. My young bird, which is fully feathered, 

 was obtained on April 19th at 3300 ft. 



---80. Saxicola qinanthe (Linn.) ; Blanf. t. c. p. 146 ; 

 Sharpe, Ibis, 1886, p. 483, 1891, p. 109. 

 7. $ ad. March 21st, Bushire. 



243. ? ad. April 25th, Shul, 6800 ft. 



These were the only specimens of the Common Wheatear 

 seen, and in neither were the breeding-organs developed, 

 but judging from the observations of Dr. Blanford the species 

 breeds sparingly in Persia. 



