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Show 1874.] MESSRS. BLANFORD A N D DRESSER ON SAXICOLA. 213 Iris yellow ; bill dark greenish brown ; legs greenish plumbeous. Dimensions in the flesh. Bill at Bill at Length. Wing. Tarsus. Tail. gape. front. 6* 13-2 6*5 1-2 imperfect 1-55 1*3 2.. .. 13-1 6-5 1-2 5-5 1-5 125 5. Monograph of the Genus Saxicola, Bechstein. By W . T. BLANFORD, F.R.S., F.Z.S., &c., and H. E. DRESSER, F.Z.S. &c. (Plates XXXVI.-XXXIX.) [Received April 21, 1874.] The following pages contain an attempt to reduce into something like order the excessively confused nomenclature of the species composing the genus Saxicola. Having had the advantage of a very large number of specimens for comparison, and having examined most of the original types described by Ehrenberg, Ruppell, Tristram, Salvadori, Cavendish Taylor, Hartlaub, and Finsch, we are enabled in many cases to state positively what are the species named by those naturalists. This paper was commenced more than a year ago, under the following circumstances:-One of us was engaged in working out the names of the birds of Europe, and with this intent had collected, by the kindness of several friends, a large series of different Chats ; the other had just returned from Persia bringing with him a considerable number of species of the same group. Amongst the united collections (which, besides those of the writers, comprised extensive suites from the cabinets of Lord Walden, Canon Tristram, Messrs. Sharpe, Howard Saunders, Shelley, Cavendish Taylor, aud Hargitt) were representatives of all the forms known from the Palsearctic region and of a large majority of the African species ; and we soon ascertained that several alterations were necessary in the received nomenclature, many forms being known by incorrect names, whilst others had been separated on account of differences which were due to age or sex. As it was necessary for each of us to study several species for our own works, we agreed to take up the entire genus together and endeavour to determine the nomenclature of the whole. The task proved more tedious and more difficult than we had anticipated; but the synonymy of several of the species was sufficiently determined some months since for their names to be published in the ' Birds of Europe.' In the names given in the earlier numbers of the same work some errors occur, which will be found corrected in the present paper; and corrected sheets will be issued in that work. To all the gentlemen who have thus liberally assisted us by the loan of their collections we are greatly indebted ; and we are equally obliged to Dr. Cabanis of the Berlin Museum, Dr. Finsch of Bremen, and Count Salvadori of Turin, all of whom, besides |