484 RARE BRITISH BIRDS 



AFRICAN DESERT-WHEATEAR [Oendnthe 1 deserti deserti (Temminck); Saxicola deserti 

 Ruppell. Western desert- wheatear]. 



1. Description. Resembles the eastern russet- wheatear, but may be distinguished by 

 having the inner lining of the wings for the most part white. The sexes are unlike in coloration. 

 Length 6 in. [153 mm.]. Adult male forehead and superciliary stripes whitish buff; crown, nape, 

 back, and scapulars isabelline buff, more brightly coloured on the mantle and scapulars ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts white, faintly tinged with isabelline; scapulars black; primaries and 

 secondaries black, white on the inner web at the basal two-thirds; tail white on the basal half, 

 black on the terminal half ; throat, lores, ear-coverts, and sides of the neck jet black; remainder 

 of the under surface whitish buff; axillaries black. Adult female upper parts similar to those 

 of the male, but the wings and tail much lighter, the black pattern being replaced by shades 

 of brown, [w. p. p. and T. w.j 



2. Distribution. The western form of this species breeds in the Sahara, from Cape Blanco 

 east to Egypt, Nubia, and Arabia. It is chiefly or almost entirely sedentary, but one specimen 

 has been obtained in Sicily, and another, probably of this race, in North Italy. One specimen 

 from England is known to be of this form (Yorkshire, 1885), and three other desert- wheatears 

 have been obtained in Great Britain, but not critically examined. [F. c. R. j.] 



ASIATIC DESERT-WHEATEAR [Oendnthe 1 deserti albifrons Brandt. Eastern desert- 

 wheatear]. 



1. Description. Resembles S. deserti, but is somewhat larger and darker. The female 

 differs from the male in having the wings and tail lighter, brown areas replacing black, 

 [w. P. P. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. The breeding-grounds of the eastern race lie in the steppes and deserts 

 of Central Asia, from the Southern Caucasus and the Kirghiz Steppes through East Persia to 

 Zaidam, Dzungaria, Nan-Shan, Ala-Shan, and Tibet south of the Kuku-Nor to E. Baluchistan. 

 On passage it visits Kashmir, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Asia Minor, and winters in India, 

 South Arabia, Socotra, Nubia, and the White Nile. One British specimen at least (Orkneys, 

 1906) is known to belong to this race, and probably also those recorded from Heligoland. 

 [F. c. E. j.] 



PIED-WHEATEAR [Oendnthe l pleschdnka (Lepechin)]. 



1. Description. Differs from all the preceding species of Wheatear in having the mantle 

 black. The sexes are unlike in coloration. Adult male, length 6 in. [153 mm.]. Head, nape, 

 and hind-neck white, washed all over with brownish grey giving a soiled appearance ; lores, chin, 

 throat, sides of the neck and ear-coverts, as well as the wings and scapulars, black, slightly fringed 

 with buff; rump and upper tail-coverts white; middle tail feathers black, white for the basal 

 third ; remainder of the tail feathers white, tipped with black, which colour extends half way 

 up the outer web of the outermost tail feather ; remainder of the under surface white, suffused 

 with buff. Adult female marked as in the male, but the black replaced by brown, otherwise 

 similar, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. From the Dobrogea in East Roumania through South Russia to the 

 Crimea and Caucasia in Europe ; in Asia it also breeds from Transcaspia, Turkestan, and Persia 

 east through Afghanistan, Baluchistan, the North- West Provinces and Kashmir to West Tibet, 

 Mongolia, North China, and South-eastern Siberia. Represented by a local race in Cyprus. 

 On migration it has occurred in North-east Africa and Arabia, and has been met with as a casual 



1 Since Volume I. of the British Bird Book was published it has been shown that the generic name Saxicola belongs 

 rightly to the Chats (hitherto generally known as Pratincola), and the correct name of the Wheatears is therefore 

 Oenanthe. 



