Mr. R. B. Sharpe on Saxicola monticola. 345 



No. 11. Orange river, Aug. 8, 1881. 



A specimen of the greatest importance, as it shows the 

 transition from stage 5 to stage 7, It is grey, but still 

 retains the white abdomen. 



No. 12, ? . Orange river, Aug. 8, 1881. 

 An adult bird. 



No. 13, S ' Orange river, Aug. 8, 1881. 

 In the 7th stage. 



No. 14, ? . Orange river, Aug. 8, 1881. 

 The husband of No. 12. In the 6th stage ; a beautiful 

 specimen of griseiceps plumage. 



The occasion of Dr. Bradshaw's study of these black-and- 

 white Chats was his inability to master the different species 

 as set forth in my edition of Layard's ' Birds of South Africa/ 

 and he brought the series to England for my especial benefit. 

 It need hardly be said that it confirms the observations of our 

 authors to the letter, and even supplies some missing links. 

 Dr. Bradshaw collected for some years in the Makalaha 

 country and on the Zambesi, and is a most experienced ob- 

 server. I may add that the above statements as to sex are 

 taken from his original labels. 



Perhaps some ornithologists who are also taxpayers will 

 derive some comfort from the fact that our war with the 

 Transvaal Republic, which ended in such an inglorious 

 manner for England, has shown that at least three of our 

 officers have turned their opportunities to a good purpose, and 

 have given as good an account of the Saxicolce as they would 

 have done of the Boers if it had been allowed. 



Mr. Seebohm will not agree with my political views, I 

 know ; but he is too honest a man, and too good a naturalist, 

 not to admit that the theory of hybridization, which he so 

 successfully demonstrated in the case of some Palsearctic 

 birds, has signally failed in the case of these African Chats, 

 and he will, no doubt, mentally apologize to those naturalists 

 whose determinations of the sexes, which he repudiated in 

 many instances, now prove to have been perfectly correct. 



