106 PIED WHEATEAB. 



Salvadori, "Fauna Italica," says, "Only one individual of this species 

 according to my experience has as yet been taken in Italy, a male 

 was captured in December of 1860 near Cornegliano in Liguria, and 

 is preserved in the collection of Signer Negri, which is now in the 

 Civic Museum of Geneva. This species, which inhabits East of 

 Europe and West of Asia, is often confounded with S. lugens, Licht., 

 from which, however, it is perfectly distinct. Both species are in the 

 Museum of Turin, and the difference between them is very marked." 



Dr. Leith Adams informs me that the bird mentioned in Mr. Carte's 

 "Observations on the Climate and Zoology of the Crimea," as being 

 observed there during the passage in April, is the Indian species, with 

 the white under tail coverts. This makes it extremely probable that 

 there is only one species. Temminck mentions the Levant and Crimea 

 as localities for his species. The European bird also differs in the 

 more or less deep shade of the russet colour of the under tail coverts. 

 One variety has been called and described as a different species under 

 the name of aS'. lugens by Lichtenstein. This has also been found in 

 Greece by Count Miihle. It inhabits the Levant, Egypt, and Nubia; 

 while Teraminck's typical species is found more especially in the Ural 

 and Siberia. All modern authors, however, agree in considering that 

 the darker under tail coverts of S. lugens do not entitle it to specific 

 distinction from S. leucomela. Why then should a lighter colouring 

 of the same feathers, and part of the shafts of primaries, be adduced 

 as evidence of a specific difference between the Indian and European 

 leucomela ? 



Mr. Tristram writes me word that he doubts the identity of the 

 African and Indian leucomela with lugens; but he adds, "take an 

 Egyptian or Arabian bird, and you will find an intermediate gradation. 

 Are they not all races of the same species?" 



The Pied Wheatear has habits very similar to its congeners. It 

 builds in the clefts of rocks, sometimes in old churches, and occasionally, 

 according to Nordmann, among heaps of stones. Temminck says it 

 also builds in the banks of rivers, in the holes made by wasps. It 

 lays four or five eggs, having the general character of those of the 

 family. Its food is beetles and other insects. 



The following interesting account of the breeding habits of this bird 

 is from Mr. A. S. Cullen of the Dobrudscha: — "This pretty little bird 

 may be found about all the sea- cliffs and inland quarries of the Do- 

 brudsha during the spring and summer months; but at no time, nor 

 in any place, can it be considered anything like a very common bird. 

 The only place where it breeds at all plentifully is along the low cliffs 

 which border the Kere-Gheel on the southern side. The Eere-Gheel 



