232 MESSRS. BLANFORD AND DRESSER ON [Apr. 21, 



with black, which extends to some distance up the outer web of the 

 outer feather on each side. Nothing is known of the sexual dif- 

 ferences in this species. 



Uab. Damara Land, South Africa. 



24. SAXICOLA MONT1COLA. 



Le Traquet montagnard, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv. p. 105, pi. 184. 

 fig. 2 (1805). 



(Enanthe monticola, Vieill. N. Diet. xxi. p. 434 (1818, ex Levaill.). 



Vitifiora rupicola, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 320. 



Grillivora capensis, Swains. Classif. of B. ii. p. 238 (1 837)- 



Dromolcea cequatorialis, Hartl. Journ. f. O. 1861, p. 112. 



Dromolcea monticola, Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. 1867, p. 151. 



Adult male. Shoulders, rump, abdomen, lower breast, upper tail- 

 coverts, and the basal portion of all rectrices, except the central pair, 

 white ; a narrow streak from the base of the bill to above the eye 

 grey, or mixed white and black ; remainder of plumage black. The 

 quills and greater coverts are brownish black, and the thigh-coverts 

 the same ; and some black is mixed with the white of the under tail- 

 coverts. On the pair of rectrices next to the central paii the white 

 extends about halfway from the base ; on the other rectrices only the 

 tip is black, but this colour extends on the outermost pair some 

 distance up the outer web. Culmen 0"9, wing 4*25, tail 2'85, 

 tarsus T25. 



In some specimens the second and third rectrices on each side are 

 entirely white, and the least wing-coverts nearest to the carpal joint 

 are black with white edges. In younger specimens the abdomen is 

 mixed white and black. 



1 Female. Very dark brown throughout, except the rump, lower 

 abdomen, tail-coverts, and basal portion of outer tail-feathers, which 

 are white, the under tail-coverts mixed white and brown, and the 

 distribution of white on the tail-feathers as in the male. Culmen 

 0*85, wing 4"35, tail 2 - 95, tarsus l - 25. In some specimens, pro- 

 bably younger birds, the whole abdomen is brown. 



Hab. South Africa. 



We think it highly probable that the bird last described may be 

 the female of <S. monticola. That it is a female we know, because we 

 have seen two specimens carefully sexed by the late Mr. Anderson, 

 and one by Mr. F. Buckley ; but we require much additional in- 

 formation as to the phases of plumage of South-African Stone-Chats. 



Obs. We have examined specimens which agree fairly with 

 Levaillant's figure above quoted, upon which Vieillot's species was 

 founded. Levaillant figures on the next plate (185) two birds as 

 immature specimens of this species. These we identify with S. leuco- 

 melcena (fig. 2) and S. castor (fig. 1) ; but as this plate is not 

 referred to by Vieillot, and as we think it probable that the three 

 figures represent three distinct species, there can be no question that 

 the name of S. monticola must be retained for the present species. 

 Of course, as we judge merely from the somewhat meagre materials 

 at our disposal, we may be in error ; but as all three forms have 



