SAXICOLA 33 



hair brown, quills and terminal portion of central rectrices darker brown ; 

 rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail pale yellowish rufescent ; under parts 

 creamy white. 



Hob. Egypt, Nubia, Palestine, east through Persia to Balu- 

 chistan and Afghanistan. 



Throughout its range this Wheatear is said to be resident. 

 In its general habits it does not differ from its allies, but nothing 

 definite is known respecting its niclification. It is easily recog- 

 nizable by its long bill. 



48. BLACK AND WHITE WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA ALBINIGRA. 



Saxicola albinigra, Hume, Stray Feathers, i. p. 2 (1873) ; Blanford, E. 

 Pers. ii. p. 153, pi. xi ; Dresser, ix. p. 27, pi. 638, fig.. 2 ; Gates, F, 

 Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 70 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 366. 



< ad. (Persia). Head, neck, upper back, wings, axillaries, and wing- 

 coverts and terminal portion of tail deep black ; rest of plumage white ; 

 tail narrowly tipped with white ; beak and legs black ; iris brown. Cul- 

 inen 0'8, wing 3'9, tail 2'55, tarsus 1*05 inch. The female and young do 

 not differ from the male. 



Hob. Persia, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Sind, and Gilgit. 



Throughout its range this species appears to be resident, in- 

 habiting the hills in summer and the lowlands in winter, and 

 does not seem to differ from its allies in its general habits. In 

 May Mr. Blanford found it nesting in a small cave under a lime- 

 stone hill near Karman, but the nest contained young birds. 

 Mr. Zarudny, from whom I have received an egg, took the nest 

 in Baluchistan on the 14th of May, 1901. The egg is very pale 

 greenish blue, with a few scarcely visible reddish spots at the 

 larger end, and measures 0'91 by 0'61. 



49. INDIAN PIED WHEATEAR. 



SAXICOLA PICATA. 



Saxicola picata, Blyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. xvi. p. 131 (1847) ; Blanf. E. 

 Persia, ii. p. 153 ; Gould, B. of Asia, iv. pi. 26 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. v. p. 367 ; Dresser, ix. p. 29, pi. 639 ; Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, 

 ii. p. 71. 



ad. (Sind). Head, neck, throat, upper breast, back, and wings deep 

 dull black ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and under parts white ; tail as in 

 S. cenanthej bill and legs black ; iris brown. Culmen 0'65, wing 3*5, tail 

 2 '7, tarsus I'O inch. The female differs in having the black portions of the 



D 



