SAXICOLA PICATA. 



(PIED CHAT.) 



Saxicola picata, Blyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. xvi. p. 131 (1847). 

 Dromolcea picata (Blyth), Gould, B. of Asia, pt. xvii. (1865). 



Figicra unica. 

 Gould, B. of Asia, iv. pi. 26. 



c? ad. capite, eollo, dorso, alis et pectore saturate sed sordide nigris : uropygio, supracaudalibus, cum corpore 

 reliquo subtus albis : subalaribus nigris : rectricibus centralibus ad basin albis, aliter nigris, rectricibus* 

 reliquis albis nigro terminatis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride fusca. 



$ ad. corpore supra fusco nee nigro, et cauda. alba et nigro-fusca nee alba et nigra, : mento griseo-fusco, gula 

 nigro-fusca : corpore reliquo subtus et supracaudalibus albis. 



Adult Male (Gheregirh). Head, neck, back, throat, upper breast, and wings deep but rather dull black; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts white ; underparts below the upper breast white, under wing-coverts 

 black ; central tail-feathers white at the base, but otherwise black ; remaining rectrices white, broadly 

 terminated with black : bill and legs black ; iris dark brown. Total length about 6 inches, culmen 065, 

 wing 3"5, tail 2"7, tarsus TO. 



Adult Female (Kohistan, Sind) . Upper parts brown instead of black ; tail as in the male, but blackish 

 brown where that is black ; chin greyish brown; throat blackish brown; rest of the underparts, rump, 

 and upper tail- coverts white. 



Young [fide Oates). Resembles the female, but is mottled below, and the crown is always of the same 

 colour as the back. 



The present species inhabits during the summer season the mountain districts of Afghanistan, 

 Baluchistan, Persia, and Gilgit, wintering in the low countries and on the plains of India, and 

 its range extends west to the Transcaspian Region and Muscat in Arabia. 



Mr. Zarudny found it in Transcaspia very common in stony places and in rocky mountains, 

 and remarks that it does not descend into the plains nor ascend to any great altitude in the 

 mountains. Early in July, during the great heat of the day, he on several occasions saw old 

 males in full moult perched, singing, on a branch in the shade of a low tree, whereas otherwise 

 they avoid wooded localities. 



Dr. Radde (Vog. Transcaspiens, p. 60) remarks that it chiefly frequents the mountains in 

 the summer, though during passage it is naturally found also on the plains. He heard its sweet 

 song everywhere in the narrow ravines both in the Kuba-dagh as also in the Balchan and Kopet- 

 dagh. He met with the first near Geok-tepe on the 15th March, 1886 ; on the 26th March they 



