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Show 1874.] THE G E N U S SAXICOLA. 227 13. SAXICOLA PICATA. Saxicola picata, Blyth, J. A. S. Bengal, xvi. p. 131 (1847). Dromolaa picata (Bl.), Gould, B. of Asia, part xvii. (1865). Adult male. Similar to S. alboniger, except that it is smaller, and the black extends further down on the lower back. In some specimens the outer rectrices are almost pure white. Culmen 075, wing 3 5, tail 2*55, tarsus 1. Adult female. Upper parts to the rump, wings, central rectrices, except at the base, and tips of the outer rectrices hair-brown ; ear-coverts with a slight tinge of rufous ; throat pale greyish brown ; breast very pale brownish white, passing into white on the abdomen. Culmen 073, wing 325, tail 2'25, tarsus 0*98. According to Hume, Saxicola morio (capistrata, Gould, apud Hume) is the young male of this species (see S. morio). Hab. Persia, Baluchistan, N.W. India. 14. SAXICOLA MONACHA. Saxicola monacha, Riipp. in Temm. Nouv. Rec. PI. Col. pi. 359. fig. 1 (1825). Saxicola pallida, Riipp. Atlas, Taf. 34 (1826) (type examined). Saxicola pallida, id. Neue Wirbelth. p. 80, av. hornot. (1835-40). Saxicola gracilis, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 54 (1854) (type examined). Adult male. Crown, including the upper part of the orbital region, nape, rump, upper tail-coverts, and lower parts from the breast pure white; mantle, wings, throat, sides of neck, and breast jet-black ; central rectrices with the terminal half to two thirds dark brown; basal portion and the whole of the outer rectrices pure white, except that on some of the outer rectrices there are occasional brown spots towards the tip. Culmen 0-92, wing 4*1, tail 3-2, tarsus 0 95. Adult female. Upper parts to the rump hair-brown; quills and terminal portion of central rectrices rather darker brown; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, except as above, pale yellowish rufescent, often, as in the male, with brown spots on the terminal portion of the outer rectrices ; underparts isabelline white. Hab. North-eastern Africa, Palestine, and Baluchistan; probably also throughout South-western Asia, in the desert region. Obs. W e have examined the types of S. monacha and S. pallida in the Frankfort Museum, and of S. gracilis in the Berlin Museum. The type of S. pallida, figured and described in Riippell's ' Atlas,' is a female of the present species. In the 'Neue Wirbelthiere' Ruppell refers to this figure as that of an immature bird, and adds that the adult of S.pallida is the bird figured by Temminck (PI. Col. pi. 472. fig. 1) under the name of S. isabellina. This figure, however, represents a female of S. deserti ; and two specimens, both apparently females of S. deserti, are in the Frankfort Museum labelled as the female and young of S. pallida. From the above it will be seen that we agree with Ehrenberg and Von Heuglin's identification of £. pal- |