C. Ingram. — The Black-Throated and Black-Eared Chats. 395 



Saxicola m. melanoleuca. Hart. Vog. Pal. Fauna. 



S. finschii. Heugl. Orn. N. 0. Afr. 1, p. 350. 



Habitat : Palestine, Syria and Asia Minor {S. m. finschii. Heugl.) Persia, 

 east through S. Russia to Yarkand, migrating soutli in winter. 



Adiilt maie : Similar to Saxicola stapaz:na stapazna but bas tbe black 

 patches on tbe sides of tbe bead united, forming a black throat and fore- 

 neck. Upper parts and breast mucb whiter. 



B. II. 



NEAR EASTERN BLACK-THROATED CHAT 



(Traquât à gorge noire) 

 Saxicola hispanica xanthomelaena . Hemp et Ebrb. 



S. h'sp. xanthomelaena. Hart. Vog. pal. F. 



S. gaddi. Sarudny et Loudon. Orn. Jarb. 1904. 



Habitat : Apparently tbe same as Saxicola s. stapazina. 



Aduli maie : Simi'ar to S. h. melanoleuca, but with tbe upper parts and 

 breast distinctly wasbed witb dull rufous isabelline. The black on tbe tbroat 

 more restricted. Lining of wing whitish. (Note : Tbis form might almost be 

 described as intermediate between S. h. melanoleuca and S. h. hispanica. 



B. III. 



WESTERN BLACK-THROATED CHAT 



(Traquet à gorge noire occidental) 



Saxicola hispanica hispanica (L.). 



Saxicola occidentalis. Salvadori, El., p. 116 (1887). 



Vjteflora nifa. Brebm. Vog. Deutcbl 1831). 



Saxicola rufa, Dresser. B. of Eur. ii, p. 207. 



Saxicola stapazina, Saunders. Man., Brit. B. p. 23 (1899). 

 Dress. Man. Pal. B. p. 36 (1902). 



Saxicola occidentalis, Saunders, Brit. B. Mag. Vol. L, p. 7 (1907). 



Saxicola hispanica hispanica. Hartert Vog. pal. Fauna. 



Habitat : S. W. Europe from Italy to Portugal, N. W. Africa, from Tri- 

 poli to Morocco. 



Adult maie : Similar to S. m. melanoleuca, but tbe ligbt portions of its 

 plumage more beavily wasbed with brigbt rusty-buff ; black on tbe throat 

 more restricted. Scapulars only partially black. Wing lining wbitish. 

 (Note : Tbis is, according to Dr. Hartert, the black tbroated variety of 

 S. s. aurita. Witb tbe exception of tbis feature tbe two birds are certainly 

 identical.) 



Whether we call them one or two species, in France, at any rate, tbe 

 Black-Tliroated and Black-Eared Chats bave identically the same habits, 

 song, and distribution. Both are restricted to the arid, rocky portions of tbe 

 « Midi », and are by no means common — the Black-Eared bird being 

 everywbere the rarest. As far inland as Savoy and Lyonnais they arc only 

 known as stragglers ; westward they may peihaps follow the Massif Central 

 a little further nortb, thougb Saunders' statement that the Black-Throated 

 Chat breeds regularly up to the Loire (Mamial Brit. Birds, p. 23) is certainly 

 misleading. 



The malos, preceding their mates by a few days, arrive towards tlio ond 

 of March or early April, and leave the country again about Soptember. 



