ON THE BLACK-THROATED WHEATEAR AND ITS ALLIES. 195 
S. stapazina in having all the tail-feathers broadly tipped with 
black. This species was described by Heuglin, under the name 
of S. finschii, and was figured by Mr. Dresser, under the erroneous 
name of S. erythrea of Hemprich and Ehrenberg. The British 
specimen is adult, as are the figures of the Spanish form in the 
books of Mr. Mitchell and Lord Lilford. The white on many of 
the tail-feathers runs out to the point. In the female, and young 
male in first plumage, of S. stapazina, all the tail-feathers are 
broadly tipped with black, as in the adults of S. finschi. This 
is also the case with birds of the year. Chats only moult once 
a year, and in their first spring the buff tips of the wing-coverts 
are cast, or abrade, and the bird is to all appearance adult, and 
‘probably breeds; but on examination it will be found to have 
an immature tail. 
Mr. Dresser’s description and figure of S. melanoleuca (mis- 
called adult) is that of a bird of the year in its first spring dress. 
So is his description and figure of (so called adult) S. stapazina, 
to which he again erroneously applies the name of S. rufa. 
This name is founded on the Vitiflora rufa of Brehm, dating 
from 1831; but this name cannot possibly stand under the law 
of priority, since Mr. Dresser himself includes the name Vitiflora 
rufa of Stephens, dating from 1817, under the synonyms of the 
Black-eared Chat. The transference by Mr. Dresser to the 
last-mentioned species of the name of S. stapazina has been 
universally condemned by ornithologists, but to those who 
object to use it for the Spanish form of the Black-throated Chat 
I recommend the name of Sazicola dresseri, in commemoration 
of his ineffectual attempt to rectify the nomenclature of the 
genus. 
In conclusion, I beg to express my thanks to Mr. Doeg 
for having given me an opportunity of examining a second time 
the example procured near Bury. 
