B L A C K - E A K E D '\V II E A T E A K . 
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ground at tlie foot of the hills; and in such places it 
may be looked for and generally found. Koman ruins 
also are much frequented. We obtained two nests from 
the Madracen, where they were placed in the inter- 
stices of the stone of that building. Usually the nests 
were close by or under a large fragment of rock.” 
Like stapazina, the Eared Wheatear builds its nest 
among rocks and stones near the ground. The nest is 
deep and wide, and is not made with much care. It 
is formed of dry grasses, wool, hair, etc., in which is 
deposited five or six eggs, of a greenish blue, generally 
deeper coloured than those of stapazina, and with the 
spots thicker, and more coloured with brown or rust 
red. 
The male in breeding plumage has the head, nape 
and back, of a light buff. Hump, throat, and two- 
thirds of tail below, white; abdomen and under tail 
coverts, creamy white, more or less shaded with light buff; 
scapularies a mixture of buff and black feathers ; greater 
wing coverts, two upper tail feathers, lower third of 
tail underneath, and a band extending from the gape 
along the entire cheek and side of head, glossy black. 
Wing primaries hair brown, secondaries darker; beak 
and legs, black; iris, dark brown. 
The female, according to Degland, differs sensibly 
from the male during the breeding season; the side of 
the head is brown, mixed with russet; the throat is 
dirty white; the wings less black, and that of the tail 
quills less extended. In autumn the changes of both 
sexes are similar: more russet on the upper and lower 
parts, and the feathers of the wings deeply bordered 
with russet. 
The young before the first moult resemble the young 
of the Hock Thrush; an ashy russet, darker below. 
