34 SAXICOLA 



plumage brown, the chin greyish brown. The young bird resembles the 

 female, but has the under parts mottled. The old male has the crown 

 more or less white, especially just before the moult. 



Hob. Transcaspia, ranging east through Afghanistan and 

 Persia to Gilgit, wintering in the lowlands, and on the plains 

 of India, and has been recorded from Muscat in Arabia. 



Frequents rocky localities and during the breeding season is 

 found in the mountains to an altitude of nearly 6000 feet. It 

 breeds from March to July, its nest, which is placed in a hole 

 of a wall or cranny of a rock, is constructed of grass and lined 

 with feathers, and the eggs, 4 to 5 in number, are pale greenish 

 blue, marked chiefly at the larger end, with pale rusty-red, and 

 measure 0'8 0'82 by 0'55 to 0'57. 



50. WHITE-HEADED WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA CAPISTRATA. 



Saxicola capistrata, Gould, B. of Asia, iv. pi. 28 (1865) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. 

 Br. Mus. v.p. 368 ; Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 72 ; 8. leucomela, 

 Jerdon, B. of Ind. ii. p. 131. 



<J ad. (Afghanistan). Differs from 8. picata, in having after the autumn 

 moult the forehead, crown, nape, and hind neck greyish white, sometimes 

 whiter over the eye and ear-coverts. Soon after the autumn moult the 

 crown becomes whiter. Culmen 0'65, wing 3'6, tail 2'7, tarsus I'O inch. 

 The female resembles that of S. picata, but the upper parts are more 

 sandy, and the chin, throat, and breast are light fulvous. 



Hob. Turkestan, Afghanistan, and the plains of India as far 

 south as Jodhpur and Sambhar and as far east as the Jumna 

 river. 



In its habits it does not appear to differ from S. picata but 

 nothing is known of its breeding habits. It appears to be resi- 

 dent throughout its range. 



51. WHITE-RUMPED WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA LEUCOPYGA. 



Saxicola leucopyga, (Brehin), Vogelfang, p. 225 (1855) ; Dresser, ii. 

 p. 243, pi. 35 ; Seebohm Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 374. 



JBoudjahar, Arab. 



<J ad. (Nubia). Crown, nape, rump, tail-covert?, and all the tail-feathers 

 except the middle ones \\hite ; terminal half of these last and two-thirds 

 of the shafts black, the basal half white ; rest of plumage glossy black ; 



