OCR Text |
Show 216 MESSRS. BLANFORD AND DRESSER ON [Apr. 21, are without exception migratory ; the latter, excepting a few which pass the summer in Europe, Northern Africa, or Asia, and the winter in tropical Africa, are non-migratory, and many of them appear to be very locally distributed. SAXICOLA. Saxicola, Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. p. 216 (1802). Bill straight, rather broad at the base, rather longer than the middle toe with claw, compressed, decurved, and more or less indented at the tip. Nostrils basal, supernal, and oval. Gape furnished with a few bristles. First primary very short, second shorter than the third and fourth, third or fourth the longest; coverts and scapulars short. Tail nearly even, the basal portion nearly always white or rufous. Tarsus long, covered in front by one long scale, to which succeed two or three shorter ones. Claws compressed, strong, and moderately curved ; the outer toe partly united to the middle toe ; lateral toes equal or subequal. Section I. Back and shoulders in the males black or blackish. A. Uropygium rufescent. 22. lugubris, Riipp. Throat and breast black. 7. mozsta, Licht. Breast white. B. Uropygium white. a. All the under parts white. 3. vittata, Ehr. A dark band from the lores to the shoulders. b. Abdomen white ; throat entirely black. 12. albonigra, Hume. Head entirely black; sexes alike; wing 39 inches. 13. picata, Blyth. Head entirely black; sexes dissimilar; wing 3*5. 10. leucomela, Pall. Head whitish above ; sexes alike ; under tail-coverts rufous; inner quill-webs white ; outer tail-feathers black-tipped. 11. morio, Ehr. Head whitish above ; sexes alike ; under tail-coverts white or pale buff; inner quill-webs black ; outer tail-feathers black-tipped. 14. monacha, Riipp. Head above white ; sexes dissimilar; bill elongate ; outer tail-feathers white. c. Lower parts, except crissum, entirely black. 16. leucura, Gm. Head always black; general colour dull black ; central rectrices white at base ; female sooty brown. Culm. 0-91, tarsus 1'08. 15. leucopyga, Br. Crown in adult white; general colour jet-black ; central rectrices white at base ; female similar to male. 23. atmori, Tr. Head black ; general colour sooty black ; central rectrices black throughout (distinguished from S. leucura by blacker rump and more black on the rectrices). Wing 4 '1. |