in two Andalucian Sierras. 479 



* CEnanthe leucura leucura (Gm.). Black Wheatear. 

 San Cristobal. — The Black Wheatear was plentiful from 



about 2000 to 4000 ft., being especially partial to the crags 

 and masses of detached boulders around Grazalema. 



A few pairs were breeding in suitable places among the 

 foothills down to 1000 feet. 



Sierra Nevada. — Observed from the Vega up to 4000 ft. 

 wherever the country was sufficiently rugged. 



Note. — At Alicante and Cartagena the wi'iter has found 

 the Black Wheatear breeding in stony but otherwise quite 

 " small '^ country, practically at sea-level, and, as we know, 

 the species breeds on the Rock of Gibraltar ; so that, as in 

 the case of the Blue Rock-Thrush, it is evident that the 

 selection of habitat is influenced by environment rather than 

 by altitude. 



* Saxicola torquata rubicola (L.). Stonechat. 



Sa/i Cristobal. — The Stonechat was noted up to 3000 ft. 

 (In the lowlands several broods were on the wing as early 

 as the 3Ist of March;) 



Sierra Nevada. — A sprinkling as high as 5500 ft., at 

 which elevation one was flushed from a nest of four nearly 

 fresh eggs on April 29th ; probably a first laying, since a 

 month earlier the site would have been under snow. 



The Whinchat was only observed on passage through the 

 " lowlands.'^ 



Phoenicurus PHfENicuRUs. Rcdstart. 



Great numbers of Redstarts passed through the ''\ow- 

 lands '^ on migration between mid-March and the end of 

 April ; but the only individual seen in higher altitudes was 

 a single bird at 4500 ft. in the Sierra Nevada on April 29th. 



Phoenicurus ochrurus gibraltariensis (Gm.). Black 

 Redstart. 



San Cristobal. — Without its Blackstarts, San Cristobal 

 would lose much of the vivacity of its bird-life ; in the 

 words of 'Unexplored Spain,^ '^Blackstarts abounded as Tit- 

 larks on a Northumbrian moor." 



