SAXICOLA (ENANTHE. 39 



I saw several near Tangier on the 16th of April, 1872, and one 

 on the 30th of March, 1874, also numbers passing at Gibraltar 

 on the 4th of April, 1870 ; and one was seen there returning on 

 the 26th of September, 1868. 



According to Arevalo this bird nests in all the mountain ranges 

 of the Peninsula. 



Tail chestnut, two centre feathers darker than others ; axillaries and lower 

 parts chestnut. 



Male. Head and neck blue ; centre of back nearly white. 

 Female. Brown, mottled. Length 7^ inches. 



9. Saxicola cenanthe, Linnaeus. The Common Wheatear. 



Spanish. Culiblanco, Ruiblanca : but these names apply to all 

 the Wheatears. 



" This is the most common of the ' Traquets,' except the 

 Stonechat and Whinchat, but is only seen near Tangier on 

 migration in small flights during March and April, returning in 

 September." Favier. 



Wheatears are abundant in Andalucia, but seen only on 

 passage. First noticed on the 4th of March in 1870 ; a single 

 male bird at Tangier on the 26th of March in 1874 ; many seen 

 near Alcala del Rio on the 4th of April ; again passing in 

 numbers at Gibraltar on the 12th of April. Wheatears were 

 plentiful near Casas Viejas at the end of October and the first part 

 of November, being last seen on the 13th of that month. I have 

 a note also of observing six or seven in the middle of the Bay of 

 Biscay on the 9th of October, when they settled on the steamer, 

 keeping with us till night. 



Axillaries white, w r ith dark centres. Rump white. 



Male. Above pale slate-grey ; below white ; ear-coverts black. 



Female. Above dull brown ; below buff ; ear-coverts dark brown. 



Young. Like the female, but spotted with dark markings on feathers 

 above and below. 



Both sexes in autumn are alike, resembling female in spring, but have 

 buff margins to all the feathers. Length 6 inches. 



