18/4.] the genus saxicola. 227 



13. Saxicola picata. 



Saxicola picata, Blyth, J. A. S. Bengal, xvi. p. 131 (1847). 

 Bromolcea picata (Bl.), Gould, B. of Asia, part xvii. (1865). 



Adult male. Similar to S. alboniger, except that it is smaller, and 

 the black extends further down on the lower back. In some spe- 

 cimens the outer rectrices are almost pure white. Culmen 0*75, 

 wing 3 5, tail 2 - 55, tarsus 1. 



Adult female. Upper parts to the rump, wings, central rec- 

 trices, except at the base, and tips of the outer rectrices hair-brown ; 

 ear-coverts with a slight tinge of rufous ; throat pale greyish 

 brown ; breast very pale brownish white, passing into white on the 

 abdomen. Culmen 0"73, wing 3"25, tail 2*25, tarsus 0*98. 



According to Hume, Saxicola morio (capistrata, Gould, apud 

 Hume) is the young male of this species (see S. morio). 



Hab. Persia, Baluchistan, N.W. India. 



14. Saxicola monacha. 



Saxicola monacha, Riipp. in Temrn. Nouv. Rec. PI. Col. pi. 359. 

 fig. 1 (1825). 



Saxicola pallida, Riipp. Atlas, Taf. 34 (1826) (type examined). 



Saxicola pallida, id. Neue Wirbelth. p. 80, av. hornot. (1835-40). 



Saxicola gracilis, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 54 (1854) (type ex- 

 amined). 



Adult male. Crown, including the upper part of the orbital 

 region, nape, rump, upper tail-coverts, and lower parts from the 

 breast pure white ; mantle, wings, throat, sides of neck, and 

 breast jet-black ; central rectrices with the terminal half to two 

 thirds dark brown ; basal portion and the whole of the outer rec- 

 trices pure white, except that on some of the outer rectrices there 

 are occasional brown spots towards the tip. Culmen 0'92, wing4 - l, 

 tail 3-2, tarsus 095. 



Adult female. Upper parts to the rump hair-brown ; quills and 

 terminal portion of central rectrices rather darker brown ; rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail, except as above, pale yellowish rufescent, 

 often, as in the male, with brown spots on the terminal portion of the 

 outer rectrices ; underparts isabelline white. 



Hab. North-eastern Africa, Palestine, and Baluchistan ; probably 

 also throughout South-western Asia, in the desert region. 



Obs. We have examined the types of S. monacha and S. pallida 

 in the Frankfort Museum, and of S. gracilis in the Berlin Museum. 

 The type of S. pallida, figured and described in Riippell's 'Atlas,' is 

 a female of the present species. In the 'Neue Wirbelthiere' Riippell 

 refers to this figure as that of an immature bird, and adds that the 

 adult of S. pallida is the bird figured by Temminck (PI. Col. pi. 472. 

 fig. 1) under the name of S. isabellina. This figure, however, re- 

 presents a female of <S. deserti ; and two specimens, both apparently 

 females of S. deserti, are in the Frankfort Museum labelled as the 

 female and young of 5 1 . pallida. From the above it will be seen that 

 we agree with Ehrenberg and Von Heuglin's identification of S. pal- 



