GO 



NORTH AMKRICAN BIRDS. 



Saxicola cenanthe, P>k(iist. 



THE WHEAT-EAB. 



}fo(aci11n cennnthr, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1758, ISo. Sif-firoln (ennnthe, Beciist. "Gemein. 

 Natur<;. 1no-J," ami of KiiiMiHaii uutluus. — IloLitiu.L, Oni. (Iid'H. (I'aulstMi nl.), 1846, 

 •j:J ^(Jriiiiliiiul). — l>Aii;i», lUids N. Am. 1858, 2'20 (Eiuhih); UevifW, til, — Jonks, 

 Ni't. r>«nniula, 18:>1>, -Jn ^IVinnula). - C<tri:.s l»r. A. N. S. 1861, 218 (Uilmulor). — 

 liKiNHAiinr, Iliis, l>*»t)l, 5 liJivt'iilaiitl). — Dall & Hannistku (Alaska). Siwioila 

 iciuDithitltlt's, Vi<;<)i:s, Ztxil. Ulos-soiii, 1831», li* (N. W. America). — Cassin, 111. 1, 1854, 

 208, pi. xxxiv (Nova Srotia). 



Sp. Char. (Description from European speeinien.) Male in sprinjr, foreliea<l, line over 

 the eye, and un<l«'r parts u'eiierally wiiite ; the latter tiiiired with pale yellowish-brown, 

 especially on the breast and throat, A stripe from the I»ill through, below, and Ijehind 

 tin' eye, with the winus. upper tail-coverts, bill and feet, black. Tail white, with an 

 abruj>t band of Itlack (al)out .(iO of an inch lonir) at the end, this color exten<ling finther 

 up on the middle feather. Rest of upper parts ash-<jrray ; (piilU and greater coverts 

 slightly edged with whitish. Length. O.OO : wing. .j.4.'» ; tail, li.oO ; tarsus, l.Oo. 



Autuniw.il males are tinged with rusty ; the l)lack markings brown. The female in 

 s})ring is red«iish-gray : lores and checks brown ; the black markings generally brownish, 

 and not well defnicd. Eggs pale ligiit blue. Nest on ground. 



Hab. An Old World species (Europe, Northern Alrica, and Asia). al»un«lant in Green- 

 land, found probably as an autumnal migrant in Labrador, Canada, Xova Scotia, Bermuda, 

 etc. Occurs also on Norton Sound, near Dehring's Straits. Very occasional in the East- 

 ern States: Long L>land. 



This bird ai)i)eai*s to l)e aluuuljiut in Xcn'ton Suiiiid, from which region Mr. 

 Dall hiis recently brought specimens in lull s]>ring ])liimage. These are de- 

 cidedly smaller than birds 

 from Labrador and Green- 

 land, but not distinguishable, 

 and seem to agree precisely 

 with skins from Central Eu- 

 rope. 



Habits. The well-known 

 Wheat-ear is entitled to a 

 place in our fauna, not only 

 as an accidental visitor, but 

 also as an occasional resi- 

 dent. Dr. H. li. Storer, of 

 Boston, found them breeding 

 in I^ibrador in the summer 

 of 1848, and procured speci- 

 mens of the young birds 

 which were fullv identified 

 by Dr. Samuel Cabot as Ijelonging to this species. In the following year 

 Andrew Downs, of Hahfax, gave me the si)ecimen described and figured 



Saxicola ananthe. 



