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Chats of some species or other be detected. If a snap-shot has been successful the victim 

 generally contrives to escape into some deep fissure to die ; and frequently it is impossible to 

 recover the spoils. Dromohea leucura is found only in the north of the desert. El Aghouat may 

 be considered its southern limit ; and it alone of the class comes up to the foot of the Atlas, on 

 the southern slopes of which it is tolerably abundant from Morocco to Tunis." As previously 

 stated, the present species does not appear to occur in Asia. Dr. Radde figures and describes a 

 Chat under the name of Saxicola leucura (Reis. im Slid. v. O. Sib. ii. p. 247, taf. ix. fig. 3), which 

 is certainly not that species, and appears to me to be the immature bird of S. leucomela, Pall. 



In its habits the Black Chat has much in common with *$'. leucopyga. It is to be met with 

 amongst the dreary, desolate rocky districts, which it enlivens by its neat figure and lively, active 

 movements. Dr. A. E. Brehm, well known as a good field-naturalist and excellent observer, has 

 published (J. f. O. 1858, pp. 56-62) some excellent notes on its habits, from which I extract the 

 following particulars : — " The Black Chat is a true mountain-bird, which never descends into the 

 valleys, and is found in most parts of Spain. We first observed it at Montserrat in Catalonia, 

 afterwards in Sativa and Enguerra (Province of Valencia), commoner in Murcia, in the mountains 

 surrounding the celebrated Viga, and in the Sierra Nevada, at about 5000 feet altitude. But it 

 is possible that it moves higher up into the mountains in summer ; for, according to our collectors, 

 it occurs in winter in Murcia, more frequently near the base of the mountains than the top, as is 

 the case in summer. According to Graells it is tolerably common in the Sierra Guadarrama ; and 

 we also saw some specimens, in the Museum at Madrid, which had been killed near there. It 

 does not appear to inhabit Gallicia; at least neither Rios-Naceyro nor our friend Lopez Seoane 

 mentions it. It prefers the wildest and most rugged mountains ; and the blacker the stones are, 

 the more numerous is this bird ; we have, however, seen it also amongst the light-coloured lime- 

 stone rocks. It is a very cautious, shy, and lively bird, inhabiting the most dreary mountains. 

 The male often behaves in a very odd manner : it either dances about on a precipice or a stone, 

 or trips up the precipice, spreading its tail and wings like the Blackcock, nods its head, turns 

 sharp round, rises singing into the air like a Tree-Pipit, and then gradually sinks with outspread 

 wings to the ground, where it finishes the last strophes of its song in the neighbourhood of the 

 female bird, which quite silently watches the antics of her mate. In all its comical postures it 

 knows how to show its beautiful white tail to the best advantage. If there are any trees or 

 prickly-pear bushes in the mountains, it will also repose on them during the intervals of its 

 dance and song ; otherwise it selects the most prominent positions for its resting-places, if they 

 can be thus called, as this bird is always dancing and singing. Without any signs of fear it 

 comes down from these mountains to the walls of the towns, or to the farms in the mountains, 

 knowing that at all events it is quite safe there. 



" Its behaviour during the season of nidification is well worth watching. It commences with 

 the building of its nest very late, about the middle or end of April or even as late as the beginning 

 of May. It can easily find suitable localities where it can place its nest ; for everywhere in the 

 high, steep, rocky precipices a hole is to be found which is not taken in possession by a Rock- 

 Sparrow. The nest is constructed for a numerous progeny, is large, and is built of grass and 

 roots, put together very closely, and in the inside lined with hair. Four or five eggs are usually 

 deposited ; but not unfrequently as many as six or seven are found in a nest. I found such a nest 



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