216 



Adult Female (Etawah, N.W. India, 19tli January). The upper parts are duller and greyer than in the 

 male ; the white frontal line and supercilium are scarcely visible ; the rump and upper tail-coverts are 

 washed with rufous isabelline; and the black throat is absent, the entire underparts being sandy 

 isabelline, rather greyer on the neck ; wings dull dark brown ; the secondaries and wing-coverts 

 margined with pale sandy isabelline ; scapulars like the back ; axillaries pale sandy isabelline ; tail as 

 in the male. Total length 5 - 25 inches, culmen - 7, wing 35, tail 2-55, tarsus 10. 



Young (150 miles E. of Shiraz, May). Can only be distinguished from the young of Saxicola slapazina by 

 the larger amount of dark brown on the tail, which is a constant characteristic of the present species. 



Obs. It is astonishing how few females arc obtained of this as well as many other species in proportion to 

 the number of males. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., in referring to this fact, estimates that, according to 

 his experience in Algeria, the proportion is as one to eight. I think it not improbable that the female 

 may after a time assume a plumage resembling that of the young male. I have figured a specimen of 

 a very old female of Saxicola melanoleuca, which, had it not been carefully sexed by Dr. Kriiper, I 

 should have considered to be a young male. 



The Desert-Chat, as its name implies, is an inhabitant of the sterile sandy and desert country, 

 and is found in Northern and North-eastern Africa, extending eastward through Persia into 

 the north-western parts of India. So far as I can ascertain, it has never occurred in those 

 parts of Europe proper whose shores are washed by the Mediterranean, being restricted to the 

 countries which are to the south of that sea. In Algeria, Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1859, 

 p. 300), " like Saxicola lugens, it is restricted to the south of the Sahara, but resorts to the level 

 shrubless salt-plains, hopping along the sand, and when alarmed continuing its flight to a con- 

 siderable distance. It was obtained in the dreary desert between Guenara and Hadjira, and also 

 in the Chotts near Tuggurt. It breeds in burrows." Mr. Taczanowski, who met with it in 

 Algeria, states that it inhabits the southern portions of the Atlas range, where he heard its song 

 throughout the whole winter; and Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., records it (Ibis, 1871, p. 80) as 

 '■ abundant from Bougzoul to Gardaia, adapting itself to the food found in the Mzab and the 

 Hants Plateaux. All across the Algerian Sahara it was seen repeatedly, giving utterance to its 

 lively song, which can be heard at a great distance (though- not further than the notes of its 

 congeners). Its flight is moderately swift, but not direct. Its tail is never still a moment; 

 and, as in the other Wheatears, the jerking action is always accompanied by a slight vibrating 

 motion of the wings." Major Loche and other writers on the ornithology of Algeria give similar 

 information respecting the range of this species as is given by Canon Tristram and Mr. Gurney. 

 In North-eastern Africa it is common in Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia; and is stated by Von 

 Heuglin to occur along the coasts and on the islands of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. 

 Captain Shelley (B. of Eg. p. 47) refers to it as being " abundant in Egypt and Nubia, where 

 it remains throughout the year, and may usually be met with along the embankments or on the 

 confines of the desert." Mr. Blanford, who met with it in Abyssinia, writes (Geol. & Zool. of 

 Abyss, p. 362) that it was " only seen close to the coast, and was abundant in December and 

 January about Annesley Bay, but it became scarce and ceased to migrate in February. There 

 were none in May, June, July, or August near Annesley Bay and Massowa. This species can 

 scarcely be a permanent resident, on the coast at least, as Von Heuglin appears to think pro- 

 bable." It was met with at Kordofan by Consul Petherick, as also by Von Heuglin. Passing 



