SAXICOLA 39 



a chink in the rocks ; its eggs are pale bluish white, rather round 

 in shape, but when fresh and unblown have a warm pink hue. 

 In size they measure about 079 by O61. 



58. SUBSP. SAXICOLA BARNESI. 



Saxicola barnesi, Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 75 (1890). 



<$ ad. (Persia). Differs from S.finschi, only in having the chin and 

 throat alone black, and these separated from the axillaries by a broad 

 white band. 



Hal. Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and Persia. 



Does not differ in habits from S. finschi. Its nest and eggs 

 are as yet unknown but will probably prove to be similar to 

 those of that species. 



59. DESERT WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA DESERTI. 



Saxicola deserti, Riipp. in Temm. PJ. Co], pi. 359, fig. 2 (1825) ; Dresser, 

 ii. p. 215, pi. 27 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 383 ; Gates, F. Brit 

 Ind. Birds, ii. p. 78 ; Saimders, p. 25 ; Lilford, iii. p. 28, pi. 14 ; S. 

 atrogularis, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xvi. p. 130 (1847) ; 

 Gould, B. of Asia, iv. pi. 31. 



Natsch, Arabic. 



( ad. (Algeria) Crown nape, back scapulars and larger wing- coverts sandy 

 isabelline ; forehead, superciliary line rump, upper tail-coverts, under 

 wing-coverts, breast and abdomen white ; wings black, the feathers 

 margined with isabelline and white ; tail black with the extreme base 

 white ; sides of head and neck and entire throat glossy black ; flanks and 

 breast washed with sandy isabelline ; bill and legs black ; iris brown. 

 Culmen 0'75, wing 3'5, tail 2 ! 6, tarsus I'O inch. The adult female has the 

 upper parts greyer and duller, the rump washed with isabelline ; the wings 

 brown and the throat and under parts sandy isabelline. In the winter the 

 male has the upper parts greyer, and the black on the throat is obscured by 

 creamy white margins to the feathers. Young birds have pale centres to 

 the feathers on the upper and under parts, except on the rump and 

 abdomen and the wing and tail-feathers are tipped with buff. This 

 species is always recognizable in having very little white at the base of the 

 tail. 



Hal. North Africa from Algeria to Egypt ; Arabia, Palestine, 

 Asia Minor, Turkestan, and Western Tibet, wintering in the 

 plains of India and in Africa south to Abyssinia ; has occurred 

 three times on Heligoland, once in Scotland and once in 

 England. 



