BLACK-EARED WHEATEAH. 131 



ground at tlie foot of the hills ; and in such places it 

 may be looked for and generally found. Roman ruins 

 also are much frequented. We obtained two nests from 

 the Madracen, where they were placed in the inter- 

 stices of the stone of that building. Usually the nests 

 were close by or under a large fragment of rock." 



Like Stapazina, the Eared . Wheatear builds its nest 

 among rocks and stones near the ground. The nest is 

 deep and wide, and is not made with much care. It 

 is formed of dry grasses, wool, hair, etc., in which is 

 deposited five or six eggs, of a greenish blue, generally 

 deeper coloured than those of Stapazina, and with the 

 spots thicker, and more coloured with brown or rust 

 red. 



The male in breeding plumage has the head, nape, 

 and back, of a light buff. Rump, throat, and two- 

 thirds of tail below, white; abdomen and under tail 

 coverts, creamy white, more or less shaded with light buff; 

 scapularies a mixture of buff and black feathers; greater 

 wing coverts, two upper tail feathers, lower third of 

 tail underneath, and a band extending from the gape 

 along the entire cheek and side of head, glossy black. 

 Wing primaries hair brown, secondaries darker; beak 

 and legs, black; iris, dark brown. 



The female, according to Degiand, differs sensibly 

 from the male during the breeding season; the side of 

 the head is brown, mixed with russet; the throat is 

 dirty white; the wings less black, and that of the tail 

 quills less extended. In autumn the changes of both 

 sexes are similar: more russet on the upper and lower 

 parts, and the feathers of the wings deejoly bordered 

 with russet. 



The young before the first moult resemble the young 

 of the Rock Thrush: an ashy russet, darker below. 



