THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 327 



The breeding area of the Black-eared Chat extends throughout 

 Southern Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Palestine, and Persia. 



139. Russet Chat [SCHWARZKEHLIGER STEINSCHMATZER]. 

 SAXICOLA STAPAZINA, Temininck. 1 



Saxicola stapayina. Naumann, iii. 879. 



Russet Chat. Dresser, ii. 207. 



Traquet stapazin. Temminck, Manuel, i. 239, iii. 164. 



At the beginning of the forties, before I had begun collecting, 

 an old male of this species was shot in this island. Though the 

 throat of this example was of a pure velvety black, the back and 

 sides were of a fairly pronounced yellowish rust colour, very similar 

 to the example pictured by Naumann (Fig. 2, Plate 90). The bird 

 was sold to a visitor, and I was not able to ascertain afterwards 

 where it had been sent to. 



Subsequently, whitish Stonechats with black throats have, been 

 repeatedly observed here, and were for a long tune considered by me 

 to belong to the present species ; since that time, however, I have re- 

 ceived ti.deserti on several occasions, and have also become acquainted 

 with S. lugens, S. libanotica, and others with black throat and black 

 markings on the upper breast, and have consequently come to the 

 conclusion that the species of light-coloured Stonechats can only 

 be determined if one has specimens in one's own hand. 



Though black-throated Chats have occurred here pretty fre- 

 quently, only very few have been killed ; this is owing to the fact 

 that these birds become very shy and timid as soon as they believe 

 themselves observed or pursued. If on advancing towards a Chat 

 one fixes one's eyes on the bird, one will hardly ever succeed in 

 getting within shooting range of it; if one attempts the same 

 manoeuvre a second time after the bird has already once taken 

 wing, it will this time unfailingly fly off to a distance of from 

 80 to 100 paces ; while, if the pursuit is again repeated, the bird 

 will be entirely lost from sight. If one feels inclined to secure one 

 of these birds, it is advisable to walk in a direction leading one 

 some thirty paces past the bird, without looking at it, until one 

 turns towards it for the purpose of shooting. Should the bird 

 happen to be an old male, it will at once take wing ; and should 

 one fail to hit, one is sure to find further pursuit long and trouble- 

 some, and in most cases unsuccessful 



The breeding stations of this species extend from Portugal and 

 north-west Africa to Greece. 



1 Saxicola dapazina, Vieill. 



