PIED WHEATEAR. 
Saxicola leucomela, Temm. 
Le Traquet leucoméle. 
Wuite the downs, commons, and barren heaths of our island are enlivened by the presence of the Common 
Wheatear (Saaicola Ginanthe, Bechst.), and the plains and deserts of Spain, Italy, and the southern districts of 
Europe in general are equally so with Sawicola aurita and stapazina, the northern portions, which include Rus- 
sia and Lapland, are to be enumerated among the places in which the present fine species habitually takes up 
its station ; and although so little is known respecting the natural habits of this bird as to leave us in a state 
of uncertainty regarding its migration, as well as the localities it chooses in which to incubate and rear its 
young, yet we may reasonably suppose that its general economy is in strict unison with that of its conge- 
ners. The Manuel of M. Temminck informs us, that so exclusively boreal is this species that it is never seen 
in temperate climates ; which circumstance will lead us to infer that Siberia, Upper Tartary, and the most 
northern portions of Asia will hereafter prove to be countries of which nature has destined this bird to be a 
native, and the limited numbers which occasionally visit Europe to be individuals traversing the outer limits of 
their appointed range. 
The female we have never yet seen; her colouring, however, will be readily understood when we state 
that where the male is black, the same parts in the opposite sex are of a dull brown ; and the parts which are 
white in the former are of an obscure light brown in the latter. 
It is said to construct a nest in rocks and old buildings, sometimes on the borders of rivers: of the number 
and colours of its eggs nothing is at present known. 
The adult male has the top of the head, back of the neck, rump, base of the tail, breast, and under parts, 
with the exception of the vent, which is light rusty brown, of a pure white; the rest of the plumage being of 
an equally fine black, thus forming a strong contrast ; legs and bill black. 
The Plate represents an adult male of the natural size. 
