221 



is the only Chat found in Palestine in the winter season. It is very fond of making short flights 

 for a mile or two at a time in front of the traveller, whom it reconnoitres at every pass, but 

 always well out of gunshot range. Like the Wheatear it slips down over the top of a boulder or 

 rock and rests for a time out of sight beneath its shelter, and then flits on, clearly showing its 

 straight white back, drops then on to another boulder, and jauntily jerks its tail until you 

 approach it. In winter it is a solitary bird, and but seldom goes in pairs. It is an early breeder, 

 and builds in chinks of rocks a very flat and untidy nest of fine grass-straws, a few feathers being 

 also introduced in the lining. The eggs are pale bluish white, rather round, and smaller than 

 those of Saxicola leucopyga, but of the same general character, with sparsely scattered blotches 

 and spots. When fresh and unblown they have a lovely warm pink hue, and are very fragile. 

 During the breeding-season the birds are of course seen in pairs ; and the male seems more than 

 usually attentive to his domestic duties ; in fact, I suspect he has often to keep the house. It 

 does not migrate, though one would imagine it scarcer in summer than in winter ; but this is 

 owing to the fact of the great numbers of its congeners which arrive in the spring, and out- 

 number it where during the winter it has held undisputed sway for months. It is worthy of 

 note that the Common Wheatear is a summer visitant where this species is a constant resident 

 in all parts of Palestine, except the Jordon Ghor, where I never found it, as it is a true hill- 

 bird." 



I have three eggs of this Chat in my collection, all taken between Jerusalem and Jericho by 

 Mr. J. H. Cochrane in the month of April, two on the 17th, and one on the 24th. One of these 

 was unfortunately badly damaged by the post-office authorities, who managed to flatten a thick 

 tin box in which it and another were transmitted to Dr. Tristram for examination. This gentle- 

 man informs me that they agree precisely with his specimens, except that one is slightly faded ; 

 and I will therefore not recapitulate his description. In size they are, if any thing, a trifle larger 

 than the usual run of eggs of our Common Wheatear (Saxicola cenanthe), and rather rounder. 



The specimens figured are, on the one Plate, the adult male on the left, the young male to 

 the right, and the adult female in the background, and on the other Plate the immature male 

 and female, these being the specimens described above, the localities being there given. The 

 two last are the types of Saxicola halophila, Tristram. 



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



E Mus. Ind. Calc. 



a, 6. Shiraz. b, 6- Shiraz, June 1869. c, 6. Shiraz, June 13th, 1869 {St. John), cl, J. S.W. of Kerman, 

 S. Persia [W. T. Blanford). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a, o juv., b, Qjuv. Omnache, Algeria, January 19th, 1857 (types of S. halophila) (H. B. T.). c, 3 . Tyre, 

 December 5th, 1863. d, <3 . Bethel, February 22nd, 1864. e, 6 . Beersheba, February 3rd, 1864. 

 /, d. Shiloh, December 21st, 1862. g, 6. Magdala, April 2nd, 1864. h, ?. Wilderness of Judea, 

 February 6th, 1864. i, $. Near Beersheba, February 2nd, 1864. j, ?. Jericho, January 12th, 1864. 

 k, ? . Till-Hhora, February 5th, 1864 {H. B. T.). 



D 



