19 19'] Birds of the Cmianj IsIuikIs 305 



October. In March I saw them on the return journey 

 (Orn. Jahrb. 1909, p. 124). 



Range. The typical race of the Stonechat breeds through- 

 out Europe and north-west Africa and winters in the Sahara. 

 It seems strange that PoLitzek should have noted it as a 

 regular transient through the Canaries, as I know of no 

 records of this species from south of the islands. Where, 

 then, do these birds go ? 



In west Africa it is common in Mazagan, and there is a 

 large series from there in the Tring Museum obtained in 

 April, May, October, and December, besides several from 

 the Atlas Mountains o))tained between the months of March 

 and June. The most southern records are skins from 

 Imintanout obtained in May. All these places are on the 

 African coast north of the Canaries. 



Saxicola rubetra rubetra. Whinchat. 



Motacilla rubetra Linn. Syst. Nat. lOtli ed. 1758, p. 186 

 — Type locality : Sweden. 



The Whinchat is an irregular Bird of Passage. I have 

 been unable to examine a skin, but it is certain to be the 

 typical form which occurs there on migration. 



The first record is by Cabrera, who recognized two birds 

 in the spring of 1890 in the barranco of ^Mercedes, Tenerife 

 (Catiilogo, p. 40). 



Polatzek includes the A\ liinchat as a regular bird of 

 passage in tiie eastern ishmds in October ; he notes that he 

 saw small companies of tiiem on their journey and that they 

 did not remain in the island. He adds that he obtained 

 specimens (Orn. Jalirb. 1909; p. 124). 



I am tloubtful whether S. r. rubetra can be considered a 

 regular bird of passage, as Polatzek is the only ornithologist 

 to have observed the l)ird regularly, and he only lived in the 

 Archipelago for two and a half years. Neither Meade-Waldo 

 nor von Thanner has met with it. 



Range. The Whinchat breeds in Eui'o|)c and winters in 

 tropical Africa. Its occurrence in the Canary Islands is 



