PIED AVHEATEAE. 
135 
birdj and you will find an intermediate gradation. Arc 
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 
among heaps of stones. Temminclc 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 adult male in breeding plumage has the summit 
of the head, nape, rump, lower part of chest, and 
abdomen, jmre white; side of the head, throat, front 
of neck, space between the eyes and beak, and greater 
wing coverts, sooty black. Wings brown, the secon- 
daries slightly bordered with white. Tail white for 
two thirds of its length, the end and two middle tail 
feathers black; under tail coverts light russet; beak, 
feet, and iris, black. 
The female is ashy brown above, with a paler tint 
on the head; ashy below, with the eyebrows and throat 
white. 
Birds of the year, according to Degland, have the 
head varied with white and brown ; feathers of the 
back and wing coverts bordered with russet; throat 
and front of neck barred with russet and black; abdo- 
men dirty white. The young males have the flanks 
ashy grey. 
Figured also by Pallas, Nov. Comm. Petr., 14, pi. 
22 , fig. 3; Temminck, pi. color. 257 , f. 3 , adult male; 
Guldenstadt, Nov. Comm. Petrop., vol. xix., p. 468, 
pi. 15. 
