38 SAXICOLA 



Traguet oreillard, French ; Caiada, Portug. ; Sacristan Span. ; 

 Monachella, Ital. 



ad. (Asia Minor). A narrow frontal line, lores, and a large patch ex- 

 tending to beyond the ear-coverts, wings and wing-coverts deep black ; tail 

 as in S cenanthe ; rest of plumage, including the throat, white ; the breast 

 and back slightly washed with rufous ; bill and legs black ; iris brown. 

 Culmen 0'62, wing 3'5, tail 2'65, tarsus TO inch. The female has the dark 

 portions of the plumage brownish black, the crown, nape, and back 

 brownish grey. In the winter the white portions of the plumage are washed 

 with rufescent isabelline. 



Hob.. S. Europe, Asia Minor, Palestine, Persia ; Morocco, 

 Algeria, Egypt, and Arabia, migrating further south in winter. 



Does not differ in habits from S. stapazina. Its nest is con- 

 structed of grass-bents lined with hair and is usually placed on 

 the ground. The eggs 4 to 5 in number are pale bluish with 

 a zone of brown spots at the larger end and are usually deposited 

 in May. Mr. Whitaker (Ibis, 1898, p. 625) separates under the 

 name of S. catarince the western from the eastern bird, but it 

 seems to me, without valid reason. 



57. ARABIAN WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA FINSCHI. 



Saxicola finscM, Heugl. Orn. N. 0. Afr. i. p. 350 (1869) ; Seebohm, Cat. 

 B. Br. Mus. v. p. 388; S. erythraa, Dresser, ii. p. 219 (partim) 

 pi. 28. 



ad. (Asia Minor). Sides of the head and neck, throat, upper breast, 

 wings, and scapulars deep black ; rest of plumage pure white ; tail as in 

 S. cenanthe ; bill and legs black ; iris dark brown. Culmen 0*7, wing 3*4, 

 tail 2'35, tarsus T05 inch. The adult female has the crown, nape, back 

 and chin sandy grey, the throat black marked with dull grey ; wings dark 

 brown and the breast and abdomen dull white. The young male is like 

 the female but has more white on the upper parts, and the throat and 

 underparts are as in the adult males but rather duller, and the young female 

 resembles the adult but is paler and duller above and lacks the black on 

 the throat. 



Hob. Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Asia Minor, the 

 Transcaspian district, and probably as far east as Persia ; winters 

 in Nubia. 



In general habits it does not differ from its allies. It 

 breeds in April, and places its nest, which is flat and untidy, 

 constructed of fine grass straws and lined with a few feathers, in 



