213 



often in a carefully selected, almost inaccessible, place. From four to five eggs are usually the 

 number deposited, and these, judging from four which I have obtained from Smyrna through 

 Dr. Th. Kriiper, closely resemble the eggs of Saxicola rufa, but are somewhat brighter in colour, 

 and more richly marked. 



Its song is similar to that of the Russet Chat, and is by some naturalists compared to 

 that of the common Wheatear, though more feeble and shorter. 



Its food consists of insects ; and during the winter season it probably also to some extent 

 may feed on seeds. Dr. Radde says that those he observed were searching for food in the rotten 

 mould of old fallen willow trees. 



The specimens figured are : — on the one Plate an adult male in full breeding-plumage in the 

 foreground ; in the background, to the right, a young male, to the left a moderately aged female ; 

 and on the second Plate, together with an autumn-plumaged female of Saxicola rufa, a very 

 old female iu full breeding-plumage, — all these specimens being from Smyrna, and in my own 

 collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, d ad. Malta (C. A. Wright), b, d . Ghizeh, Egypt, April 3rd, 1863. c, d. Nile delta (S. Stafford Allen), 

 e, f. Egypt (Rogers). g, h, d- Smyrna, May (Dr. Kriiper). i,j, d juv. Smyrna, July 1871. k, d juv. 

 Smyrna, August 1871. /, $ ad. Smyrna, May 13th, 1871 (Dr. Kriiper). m. Kulat-el-Sukif, Palestine 

 (H. B. Tristram) . 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a, b, c, d- Palestine, March, d, e, d ■ Palestine, April, f, g, d • Palestine, May 1864. h, i, j, d ■ Palestine, 

 March and April 1864. kjuv. Safed, May 19th, 1864 (H. B. T.). 



E Mus. Lord Walden. 



a, d. Smyrna, May 9th, 1871 (Dr. Kriiper). b,juv. Smyrna, October 9th, 1863. c, ?. May 8th, 1863. 

 d, ?. November 9th, 1863. e, d. May 16th, 1863, Smyrna (Schrader). f, d, Abyssinia, November 

 8th, 1868 (Jesse). 



E Mus. bid. Cede. 



a, d- Shiraz, June 1869 (St. John). 



