Collection uf Birds from the Mediterranean. 165 



natural gap in the contiimity of tlic breeding-areas of tliese 

 Wheatears appears to lead some strength to the separation 

 of the eastern and western forms. 



Wherever met with in the breeding-time, both Black- 

 throated and Black-eared Wheatears have been occupying 

 the same ground, but no cases of antagonism were observed. 

 Each pair seemed to keep to its own patch, and although it 

 is a difficult point to make sure of, owing to the similarity 

 of the females, nothing was apparent to suggest interbreeding 

 of the two species. 



The stomachs of the birds collected contained beetles, flies, 

 larvae, small snails, one a large millipede, and another a large 

 yellow and black smooth caterpillar. 



Egijpt. — Except that the Black-eared was comparatively 

 scarce, both species coincided in migration, which started 

 with September (rather later than CE. cenanthe and far less 

 numerically) and finished with the first week of October. 



Crete. — The first birds arrived 24th March, adult males in 

 full plumage (very pure black and white). These increased, 

 gradually, and the females came about 1st April. Breeding 

 birds of both forms then paired and spread for nesting in 

 some numbers, but many passed on northwards. A nest 

 of the Black-throated Wheatear with two fresh eggs was 

 found in a hole in a wild fig-tree on 28th April. 



Athens. — 18th-22nd April. The same remarks ^pply. 



Mitylene, 13th August, and Lemnos, 20th August, a 

 number of Black-throated and a few Black-eared Wheat- 

 ears were apparently migrating. 



Platea and Marmarice. — 15th-31st July. Birds which 

 had apparently bred were in full moult. No males seen 

 were in summer black-and-white plumage. These Wheat- 

 ears seem invariably to moult before starting their autumn 

 migration, all the adult males being then in the roseate-buff 

 winter plumage. 



[As I agree with Dr. Hartert in regarding the Black-eared 

 and Black-throated Wheatears as dimorphic forms of one 

 species, I have placed Lynes*s notes under one heading, and 

 I think the V strengthen the view that these two birds should 



