199 



SAXICOLA ISABELLINA. 



(ISABELLINE CHAT.) 



Motacilla strapazina, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-As. i. p. 474 (1811, nee stapazina, Linn.). 



Saocicola isabellina, Riipp. Atlas, p. 52, pi. 34. fig. 6 (1826). 



Saxicola saltator, Menetr. Cat. Rais. p. 30 (1832). 



Saxicola squalida, Eversm. Add. Zoog. Rosso-As. p. 16 (1835). 



Saxicola saltatrix, Keyserl. & Bias. Wirbelth. Eur. p. 192 (1840). 



Saxicola olivastra, Riipp. fide Bp. Conspect. Gen. Av. p. 303 (1850). 



Saxicola strapazina (Pall.), Eversm. Journ. fur Orn. 1853, p. 288. 



Vitiflora saltatrix, C. L. Brehm, Vogelfang, p. 225 (1855). 



Isabelline Chat, Menetries's Wheatear, English; ConeJc, Russian. 



Figures notabiles. 

 Riippell, I. c. ; Biee, B. of Eur. pi. to p. 136. 



d ad. supra, pallide brunnescenti-arenarius vix cinereo lavatus, subtus albicanti-isabellinus : pectore saturatiore : 

 gula et abdomine centrali albis : loris nigricantibus, supra oculos ad basin rostri stria albida : regione 

 parotica. dilute fusca, : remigibus saturate brunneis, tectricibus et secundariis late, primariis stricte e 

 cinereo ochraceo marginatis : rectricibus centralibus nigricanti-brunneis, ad basin albis, reliquis dimidio 

 basali albis, dimidio apicali nigricanti-brunneis, omnibus vix albido apicatis : supracaudalibus, subcau- 

 dalibus et subalaribus albis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iricle fusca. 



2 ad. mari similis sed paullo sordidior, loris pallidioribus. 



Adult Male (Egypt, 17th February). Upper parts pale sandy brown with a greyish tinge; uuderparts 

 white, washed with pale isabelline, the breast darkest, being of a warm creamy tinge ; throat and centre 

 of abdomen almost pure white ; lores black ; above the lores from the base of the bill to the centre of the 

 eye a dull white broad streak ; quills dark dull brown on the outer web, and at the tip bordered with 

 pale rufescent isabelline, which is very narrow on the outer primaries, but conspicuoxis on the inner 

 ones, secondaries, and wing-coverts ; upper tail-coverts pure white ; central rectrices white on the basal 

 third, otherwise blackish brown, remainder with the white extending over the basal half, all being 

 narrowly tipped with dirty white ; under wing-coverts and axillaries white ; bill and legs black ; iris 

 brown. Total length about 6 inches, culmen - 62, wing 3 - 9, tail 2'5, tarsus 1/2. 



Adult Female (Egypt, 14th March) . Similar to the male ; but the lores are much duller black, and in general 

 colour the bird is somewhat duller. 



Nestling (Smyrna, 25th May). In general arrangement of colour resembling the parents, but darker; head 

 and nape very indistinctly marked as if striated ; throat and breast very finely marked here and there 

 with small black lines; wings and tail broadly margined and tipped with rufous. 



