42 SAX 1C OLA 



India from the Punjab south to Ahmednagar, and east to 

 Chunar and Benares. It has once occurred in Great Britain 

 but has not been otherwise recorded from western Europe. 



In general habits this Wheatear does not differ from S. 

 c&nanthe. It frequents barren ground, pastures, bush- 

 covered localities, and even sometimes fir- woods, and like its 

 congeners feeds on insects of various kinds. Its nest is placed 

 in a hole in the ground, usually in the deserted hole of some 

 rodent, and is bulky, constructed of grass and dried herbs. The 

 eggs from 4 to 6 in number are deposited from February to 

 May, according to latitude, and resemble those of S. cenanthe, 

 but are rather larger, measuring O82 by 0'65. Its song is 

 powerful and rich in tone, and it has a peculiar note resembling 

 that of a Sandpiper. 



64. MOURNING WHEATEAR. 

 SAXICOLA MCESTA. 



Saxicola mcesict, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 33 (1823) ; Dresser, ii. p. 229, 

 pi. 32, figs. 2 (1874) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 382 ; Koenig. 

 J. f. 0. 1893, p. 16, Tab. 1 ; S. pliilotliamna, Tristram, Ibis, 1850, 

 p. 58, pi. 9 ; Dresser, ii. p. 223, pi. 30. 



ad. (Algeria). Crown dull greyish white ; nape white ; back black ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts reddish white ; wings dull brown, the quills 

 with paler margins ; outer tail-feathers bright rufous at the base, otherwise 

 blackish brown, the middle tail-feathers greyish brown ; throat, sides of 

 head and neck jet black ; breast and abdomen white ; under tail-coverts- 

 pale rufous ; bill and legs black ; iris brown. Culmen O8, wing 3'8, tail 

 2*9, tarsus T2 inch. The adult female has the upper parts sandy isabelline, 

 the back darker and the under parts including the throat, buffy white. 

 The young bird has the crown and nape greyish brown, the back 

 darker, rump white, tinged with rufous, quills and wing-coverts broadly 

 margined with rusty ochreous ; tail narrowly tipped with ochreous ; chin r 

 lores, and sides of face black, the lower chin and throat white ; rest of under 

 parts white, washed with rufous, and with indistinct cross bars. 



Hob. Algeria, Tunis, Egypt, Arabia, and Palestine, where it 

 is resident, but nowhere common. 



In its habits it is somewhat peculiar as it frequents exclu- 

 sively open, scrubby, and not bare districts, and perches on 

 bushes like a Whinchat. It builds its nest in a hole under a 

 bush or root, having two entrances and deposits very early in 

 the season, often early in January, its rather large eggs, which 

 measure 24 by 18 millimetres (0'94 by 071 inches) and are deli- 

 cate bluish white, sprinkled all over with minute reddish spots. 



