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Show 232 MESSRS. BLANFORD AND DRESSER ON [Apr. 21, with black, which extends to some distance up the outer web of the outer feather on each side. Nothing is known of the sexual differences in this species. Hab. Damara Land, South Africa. 24. SAXICOLA MONTICOLA. Le Traquet montagnard, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv. p. 105, pi. 184. fig. 2 (1805). OZnanthe monticola, Vieill. N. Diet. xxi. p. 434 (1818, ex Levaill.). Fitiflora rupicola, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 320. Grillivora capensis, Swains. Classif. of B. ii. p. 238 (1837). Dromolaa aquatorialis, Hartl. Journ. f. O. 1861, p. 112. Dromolaa monticola, Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. 1867, p. 151. Adult male. Shoulders, rump, abdomen, lower breast, upper tail-coverts, and the basal portion of all rectrices, except the central pair, white; a narrow streak from the base of the bill to above the eye grey, or mixed white and black ; remainder of plumage black. The quills and greater coverts are brownish black, and the thigh-coverts the same ; and some black is mixed with the white of the under tail-coverts. On the pair of rectrices next to the central pair the white extends about halfway from the base ; on the other rectrices only the tip is black, but this colour extends on the outermost pair some distance up the outer web. Culmen 0'9, wing 4*25, tail 2*85, tarsus 1*25. In some specimens the second and third rectrices on each side are entirely white, and the least wing-coverts nearest to the carpal joint are black with white edges. In younger specimens the abdomen is mixed white and black. ? Female. Very dark brown throughout, except the rump, lower abdomen, tail-coverts, and basal portion of outer tail-feathers, which are white, the under tail-coverts mixed white and brown, and the distribution of white on the tail-feathers as in the male. Culmen 0'85, wing 4"35, tail 2*95, tarsus 1*25. In some specimens, probably younger birds, the whole abdomen is brown. Hab. South Africa. W e think it highly probable that the bird last described may be the female of S. monticola. That it is a female we know, because we have seen two specimens carefully sexed by the late Mr. Anderson, and one by Mr. F. Buckley ; but we require much additional information as to the phases of plumage of South-African Stone-Chats. Obs. W e have examined specimens which agree fairly with Levaillant's figure above quoted, upon which Vieillot's species was founded. Levaillant figures on the next plate (185) two birds as immature specimens of this species. These we identify with S. leuco-melana (fig. 2) and S. castor (fig. 1) ; but as this plate is not referred to by Vieillot, and as we think it probable that the three figures represent three distinct species, there can be no question that the name of S. monticola must be retained for the present species. Of course, as we judge merely from the somewhat meagre materials at our disposal, we may be in error; but as all three forms have |