454 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



SAXICOLA TORQUATA 



187. Saxicola torquata hibernans (Hart.) THE BRITISH 

 STONECHAT. 



PRATINCOLA TORQUATA HIBERNANS Hartert, Journ. f. Orn., 1910, p. 173 



(England). 



Pratincola rubicola (Linnaeus), Yarrell, i, p. 339 ; Saunders, p. 29 ; 



P. t. hibernans, Hartert, Brit. B., in, p. 315. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 16). Adult 

 male. Winter. Crown, mantle 

 and scapulars brown and black, 

 feathers being jet - black with 

 long reddish - brown fringes ; 

 rump more uniform reddish- 

 brown ; upper tail-coverts white 

 with black pear-shaped centres 

 and rufous tips concealing the 

 white ; lores, ear-coverts, chin 

 and throat black, feathers with 

 buff tips sometimes almost con- 

 cealing black ; at base of sides 

 of neck patch of white extending The British stonechat (Saxifola ,. 



towards back Of neck to shoulder hibernans). Adult male, summer. 



much concealed towards shoulder 



by black and rufous tips to feathers; breast, sides of belly and 

 flanks chestnut, feathers with narrow buff fringes ; centre of 

 belly and under tail-coverts pale buff ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries black, fringed and tipped white ; tail-feathers brown- 

 black with narrow buff fringes and tips ; wing-feathers brown- 

 black, inner webs edged dull white, outer webs of primaries 

 narrowly edged buff and of secondaries more broadly edged 

 rufous -buff, innermost secondary with basal half, and two next 

 with basal third of outer web white ; primary-coverts brown- 

 black with buffish-white fringes and tips ; varying number of inner 

 greater wing-coverts white, next outwards black and white, rest 

 black with rufous-buff edgings and tips ; inner median coverts white 

 with black bases, rest black with buff tips ; lesser coverts same 

 but innermost with only tips white. This plumage is acquired by 

 complete moult in Aug.-Sept. Summer. No moult. Abrasion 

 of tips and fringes of feathers gradually causes striking change 

 with considerable individual variation according to amount of wear ; 

 throat and upper-parts becoming jet-black with few remains of 

 brown edgings to feathers ; upper tail-coverts black and white ; 

 white patches on sides of neck larger and pure white ; breast 

 brighter chestnut ; centre of belly and under tail-coverts whiter ; 

 axillaries black with little white remaining ; wing-coverts jet-black 

 with white patch formed by inner ones showing larger. 



