BROMOIÆA OPISmOOElTCA.
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DROMOLÆA OPISTHOLEUCA.
White-tailed Stone-Chat.
Saxícola opistholeuca, Strickl. in Jard. Cont. to Om., 1849, p. 60. 10, fig.
— leucura, Blyth, Jonm. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta,, yol. xvi. p. 137.—Id. Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc.
Calcutta, p. 167.
leucuroides, Jerd. Birds of India, yol. ii. pt. i. p. 130.
I t h i n k Mr. Strickland was right in considering this bird to be different from M. Guérin’s Saxícola
leucuroides, and Mr. Jerdon mistaken in considering it identical with that species. I have a t this moment
examples of the Indian, the Nubian, and the Algerian birds before me ; and although they bear a general
resemblance in their colouring, still there are points o f difference which I think would induce most
ornithologists to regard them as distinct : these consist in thé very feeble character of the bill of the
Indian, compared with that of the Nubian and Algerian birds, and in the colouring o f the tail, the apical
three-fifths of the two central feathers and the tips of the lateral ones in the former being black, while in
both the others the tips of the same feathers are pure white or merely clouded with blackish brown.
Mr. Strickland was also o f opinion that Mr. Blyth was in error in considering the present bird to be identical
with the S. leucura ; and his remarks on the subject are so judicious that I need make no apology for
transcribing them.
“ This is evidently the bird referred to as Saxícola leucura by Mr. Blyth, as he states it to differ from his
S. picata only in having the breast and belly black, while in the latter species those parts are white. As
I have before me specimens of S. picata, I can confirm Mr. Blyth’s statement o f the close agreement in size
and coloration of these two birds. They form, in fact, a parallel case to that o f the Saxícola aurita and
S. stapazina of Southern Europe, which only differ in the presence or absence of black on the throat, and
whose specific distinctness is still a matter of controversy among naturalists. It is very possible that some
species of Saxícola may, at certain periods of life, assume additional portions of black or white into their
plumage, just as many of the rufous Tchitrece acquire more or less of a white coloration in old age. This
may perhaps account for the immense number o f species of Saxícola described by Rüppell, Ehrenberg, and
others as inhabiting the deserts of Africa and Western Asia. Conformably with this view, we find that, in a
specimen of S. opistholeuca before us, some of the black abdominal feathers are narrowly tipped with white,
as if in the act of changing colour. Further researches, however, are required to decide this question,
and meanwhile we have no choice but to regard S. opistholeuca as distinct from S. picata until their identity
be proved.
“ Saxícola opistholeuca agrees closely in coloration with S. leucura of Europe, but is considerably inferior
in size. It also differs in having the lateral rectrices tipped with a continuous patch of black, while in a
specimen of S . leucura, now before me, they have merely a longitudinal black spot on each side, separated
by a white space, which extends to the1 extreme tips.”
“ This fine Stone-Chat,” says Mr. Jerdon, “ is not uncommon about Mhow, in Central India, in the cold
weather; and I have seen it on the banks of the Nerbudda, near Mundleysur, but nowhere else. Its range
probably extends throughout the North-western Provinces, having been killed near Agra and in Sindh. In
summer it doubtless migrates to Tibet and Central Asia.” Captain Boys procured specimens in Northern
India; and Mr. Blyth states that it is common about Agra. It frequents bushes on the plains, but also
comes into cantonments, and may be seen seated on the hedges or on the low trees bordering the roads.
It descends to the ground to feed on insects, returning to its perches.
So little has been recorded respecting the differences, if any, between the sexes and between the adults
and young of this species, that I am unable to say whether the brown bird represented in my Plate is a
true female or not.
The m< lie 1 las the whole of the plumage of the body, both above and beneath, to the vent, and the wing-
coverts deep black ; primaries black on their external webs, greyish brown on the inner ; upper and under
tail-coverts white ; two central tail-feathers white at the base, and black for the remainder of their length ;
the lateral feathers white, tipped with black ; irides dark brown ; bill and feet black.
The figures are of the size of life.