SAXICOLA SEEBOHMI. 



(SEEBOHM'S WHEATEAR.) 



Saxicola seebohmi, Dixon, Ibis, 1882, p. 563. 



Figura unica. 

 Dixon, Ibis, 1882, pi. xiv. 



Ad. suprk schistaceo-canus, pileo pallidiore : fronte et stria, supraocular! usque ad nucliam ducta albis : 

 uropygio et supracaudalibus albis : alis cum tectricibus alarum nigris, secundariis iiiternis pallide 

 cervino apicatis : rectricibus centralibus ad basin albis in parte § reliquo nigris, rectricibus reliquis 

 albis conspicue nigro apicatis : loris, mento et gula, nigris : corpora reliquo subtus albo : tibiis nigri- 

 cantibus : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride fusca. 



Adult Male (type). Upper parts clear slate-grey, paler ou the head; forehead and a stripe which extends 

 over the eye to the nape white ; wings and wing-coverts black, the inner secondaries narrowly tipped 

 with pale buff ; rump and upper tail-coverts white ; central rectrices white on the basal third, otherwise 

 black, the remainder white broadly terminated with black, the external feather with rather more black 

 on the outer web ; lores, chin, and throat black, the rest of the underparts white except the thighs, 

 which are blackish; axillars and under wing-coverts black, narrowly margined with dull white on the 

 terminal portion : bill, legs, and feet black ; iris dark brown. Total length about 6 - 25 inches, 

 culmen - 68, wing 3'87, tail 2"45, tarsus T05. 



Adult Female (Djebel Mahmel). Resembles the female of Saxicola cenanthe, but is browner in tone of 

 colour. {Dr. Koenig in epist.) 



Young Male (Djebel Mahmel, May 5th). Differs from the adult in having the upper parts obscured by 

 sandy buff, the black on the throat less extended, there being a broad central white line nearly up to 

 the chin, and the black is intermixed with buff on the sides of the throat ; the underparts are not so 

 pure white as in the adult, and the wings are brownish black and not deep black. 



This, the latest addition to the Western Palsearctic Chats, was discovered in the Province of 

 Constantine, Algeria, by Mr. C. Dixon, who was sent thither to collect by Mr. H. Seebohm, and 

 who named the species after his patron and employer. 



Mr. Dixon writes respecting the discovery of this species (Ibis, 1882, p. 563) as follows: — 

 " On the road from Oued Taga, when we were making the ascent of Djebel Mahmel, and about 

 midway between those two places, we secured specimens of this novel and interesting Chat. On 

 a small stony plain, almost devoid of vegetation, and at an altitude of 5500 feet, in a climate 

 similar to early spring in England, they were fairly common. This bird must be an exceedingly 

 local one, as we met it nowhere else in Algeria. They were not at all shy ; and I shot our first 

 specimen from the back of my mule as we slowly picked our way over the stony tract. In its 



