7^ ^c 



K^»vw '^ 



WHEATEAR. 



Saxicola cenanthe. 



Char. Above, bluish gray; forehead and stripe over eyes white; 

 patch on cheek and wings black ; rump white; middle tail-feathers black, 

 rest white, broadly tipped with black; under parts white. In the female 

 the upper parts are brown, and under parts buff. Length 6^ inches. 



Nest. In a crevice of a stone wall or a stone heap ; made of plant 

 stems and grass, lined with feathers, hair, or rabbit's fur. 



Eggs. 5-7 ; pale blue, sometimes spotted with pale tawny, or purple ; 

 0.85 X 0.65. 



The first mention of the occurrence of this species in eastern 

 America appeared in Holboll's account of the birds of Greenland, 

 issued in 1846; it had been reported previously from the Pacific 

 coast by Vigors. In 1854 the name appeared in Cassin's work, 

 and in Baird's "Report" of 1859 i* ^'^^ recorded as "accidental 

 in the northern part of North America." 



It should not be termed accidental at the present day, for it 

 occurs regularly in Greenland and Labrador and at Godbout, on 

 the St. Lawrence, and has been taken in winter in Nova Scotia, 

 Maine, New York, Long Island, Louisiana, and Bermuda. 



American writers formerly gave the vernacular name as " Stone- 

 chat," or " Stone Chat," — Coues alone adding Wheatear (as a 

 synonym). • 



