64 THE WOODCHAT. 



According to Svvainson it is migratory in Sicily, 

 residing there for a short time during the month 

 of May.* On the African Continent its distri- 

 bution is very extensive, being found in the 

 north, west, and southern coasts, residing during 

 the year, and, except in an occasionally more or 

 less brilliant tint of colour, not varying from the 

 birds of Europe, or the few stragglers which have 

 been killed in this country. 



Above each nostril, between that and sur- 

 rounding the eyes, yellowish white ; the forehead, 

 a streak above each eye, and auriculars, brownish 

 black, which extends downwards in a narrow 

 streak, reaching the mantle, which is of the same 

 colour ; crown of the head, occiput, and nape 

 reddish orange. Separating the mantle from 

 the scapulars and coverts, there is a patch of 

 white converging and almost insulating those 

 parts ; the rump and tail coverts are of the same 

 colour, sometimes tinted with yellowish ; the 

 wings are blackish brown, except the base of the 

 quills, which are white, and exhibit a triangular 

 spot of that colour ; the four centre tail feathers 

 are brownish black, the others are white at the 

 base, and that on the outside entirely of that 

 colour, except a few dark bars on the inner web ; 

 the under parts are white, or yellowish white, 

 more or less barred with brown, according to 

 the maturity of the specimen. In the female, the 

 upper parts are of a browner tint, and the under 



* Birds of Western Africa, i. p. 231. 



