221. S axicola s in u a ta . Sickle-winged Chat.
Like the preceding species this Chat belongs to the plain-coloured
group, but is distinguished from S. galtoni by the peculiar sickleshaped
emargination of the first long primary, and by the pale
ashy brown colouring of the lower parts. The “ Klappertje,” as it
is called by the Dutch colonists, is not uncommon at Nel’s Poort
and to the eastward, having been received from Colesberg and
Kuruman, We found it at the first-named place, breeding in
November, in holes of buildings, and occupying the place of
S. galtoni. It makes a nest of hair, roots, and feathers, and lays
three to five eggs, of a light blue, speckled with rufous. These
speckles generally assume the shape of a ring at the obtuse end.
Axis, lO'" ; diam. 7'".
In October 1868 we observed it for the first time abundantly
at Groenfontein, near-Cape Town, and we subsequently found it in
February 1869 at Cape Point, at the extreme end of the promontory;
it seems now permanently stationed in the western end of the
colony. Mr. Rickard says that it is common at Port Elizabeth, but
that its habits are very different from those of the preceding bird,
being much more lively in its manners, and never being seen on
houses. Mr. Ayres shot a specimen of this Chat on the open plains,
some thirty miles from Potchefstroom. He writes :—“ It was on
stony ground; and I put it up twice or thrice, when it invariably
settled on some small stone. The stomach contained insects.”
222. S axicola layardi, Sharpe. Layard’s Chat.
Only a single specimen of this apparently well characterised
species has fallen under our notice. It is now in the British
Museum, having been formerly in the editor’s collection, and is the
individual mentioned by Messrs. Blanford and Dresser as being
probably new to science in their paper on the genus Saxicola.
Having carefully compared it with a large series of South African
Chats, we have no hesitation as to its distinctness, and before very
long we shall doubtless hear of additional specimens being found by
some of our friends in South Africa.
The species is very similar to S. sinuata, but has not the emargination
in the primary which distinguishes that bird; the rump is
rufescent, the upper tail-coverts white, as also is the base of the
tail. These characters bring the species in close relationship to
S. albicans, but the general colour of the bird is different, being
brown above, underneath isabelline brown, whiter on the throat and
abdomen; it is, however, to be distinguished at once by its rufous-
brown ear-coverts, these being white in S. albicans. Total length,
5-6 inches; culmen, 0‘7 ; wing, 3'45; tail, 2'25 ; tarsus, 1'15.
The typical specimen was sent by Mr. Layard some years ago
labelled “ South Africa,” but the exact locality was not recorded.
223. S axicola s c h l eg e l i. Schlegel’s Chat.
This species belongs to the section of the genus Saxicola, in
which the species are of a pale isabelline colour, and have the inter-
scapulary region uniform with the wing-coverts. The distinguishing
characters of Schlegel’s Chat are the white under surface, and the
emargination of the first long primary, which has a distinct indentation
near the tip. The centre tail-feathers are black, white on
the outer webs but not at the tip, the black going right down to the
base of the feathers; the upper tail-coverts are white. Total length,
6 inches; culmen, O'65; wing, 3‘75; tail, 2'75 ; tarsus, 1'25.
It is an inhabitant of South-western Africa, and Mr. Andersson
writes as follows :—“ This species is very common in Great Namaqua
and Damara Land, and frequents alike broken ground, low bush,
and old abandoned ‘ werfts ” ; it seems to prefer low bushes for
perching on, whence it descends to the ground in search of insects,
and runs with great swiftness in pursuit of its prey. I t is tolerably
easy of approach. Specimens are frequent in Damara Land of a
smaller size, and paler colour than the ordinary type, which, however,
they exactly resemble in habits and manners.”
Fig. Blanford and Dresser, P. Z. S. 1874, pi. xxxix. fig. 2.
224. S axicola albicans. Strickland’s Chat.
Very similar to S. schlegeli, but distinguished at once by the base
of the tail-feathers being white; . the first long primary also is not
emarginate at the tip ; upper tail-coverts white like the base of the
tail. Total length, 6 inches; wing, 3'6; tail, 2'3; tarsus, 1'25.
Like its near ally it is only known at present from South-Western