32 SAXICOLA 



46. EASTERN PIED WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA MORIO. 



Saxicola morio, Hempr. and Ehr. Symb. Phys. fol. a a (1828) ; Dresser, 

 ii. p. 235, pi. 33, figs. 1-3 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 372 ; 

 Saxicola hendersoni, Hume, Ibis, 1871, p. 408 ; Saxicola talas, 

 Severtzoff, Turk. Jevot. p. 65, pi. viii. figs. 1, 3, 4 (1873); S.ples- 

 chanka (Lepech), Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 73 (1890). 



$ ad. (Crimea). Differs from S. lugens in having the inner webs of 

 the primaries black, these being white in that species, and the under tail- 

 coverts and crissum are usually pure white. Culmen 0'7, wing 3'8, tail 2 '5, 

 tarsus 0-8 inch. The female has the crown, nape, and back, and the under 

 parts down to the breast earthy brown, the throat marked with black. The 

 young bird in first plumage resembles the female, but the dorsal feathers 

 have pale margins, the lower throat and neck are dull isabelline, the pec- 

 toral band largely developed ; flanks tinged with isabelline ; wings brown ; 

 tail tipped with buff ; base of the mandible brown. 



Hal. Cyprus, the Crimea and the lower valley of the 

 Volga, east to Kashmir, south-eastern Siberia, Tibet, Mongolia, 

 and northern China, wintering in N.W. India, Abyssinia, and 

 Arabia, and occasionally in Gilgit. 



In general habits it differs somewhat from its congeners in 

 frequently perching on bushes and even on the branches of 

 trees. Its song is described as feeble but agreeable. It 

 breeds in Siberia, north China, Afghanistan, and as far west 

 as Palestine and Cyprus, and places its nest amongst stones, or 

 in a cleft of a rock and deposits in June from 4 to 6 eggs, 

 which are plain pale blue, unspotted or marked with fine red 

 dots, chiefly at the larger end, and measure 0'725 by O565. 



47. HOODED WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA MONACHA. 



Saxicola monaclia, Riipp. in Temm. PI. Col. pi. 359, fig. 1 (1825) ; 

 Dresser, ii. p. 239, pi. 34 ; Shelley, B. of Egypt, p. 78, pi. ii. See- 

 bohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 369 ; Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 

 69 ; -S. pallida, Riipp. Atlas. Taf. 34 (1826) ; 8. gracilis, Licht. 

 Nomencl. Av. p. 54 (1854). 



ad. (Egypt). Crown, nape, lower back rump, upper tail-coverts and 

 under parts below the breast white ; mantle, wings, throat, sides of neck 

 and breast jet black ; central rectrices with terminal half dark brown, the 

 basal part and all the outer rectrices white, the latter with a few brown 

 spots towards the tip ; beak and legs black iris brown. Culmen 0'92, wing 

 4-1, tail 3'2, tarsus 0'95 inch. The female has the upper parts to the rump 



