The FALLOW CHAT, or WHEATEAR (_Saxicola œnanthe_), is of a light ash-grey
upon the upper part of the body. The breast, brow, and a band over the
eyes, are white; the under side and rump reddish yellow; a patch upon the
cheek-stripes, the wings, and two centre tail-feathers are black; the
rest are white towards the base, and black at the tip. The eye is brown,
the beak and feet black. After the moulting season the upper part of the
plumage of the male is rust-red, and the under side reddish yellow. In
the female reddish grey predominates. The brow and a stripe over the eyes
are dirty white, the bridles pale black, the under side light brownish
red; the feathers of the wings are dark grey, edged with light yellow.
The length of this species is six inches and a quarter, and the breadth
eleven inches; the wing measures three inches and a half, and the tail
two inches and a quarter; the female is a few lines smaller than her
mate. The Wheatear both dwells and breeds in the British Islands, and
throughout that portion of Europe that lies between the Alps, Pyrenees,
Balkan Mountains, and Lapland; in Asia it is met with in corresponding
latitudes; occasionally it appears in the upper provinces of India; we
have also seen it ourselves in many parts of Africa. In Southern Europe
this bird is replaced by two nearly-related species--