NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF AMBALA DISTRICT, PUNJAB. 173 



832. The Grey Wagtail — Motacilla melanope. Pall. 



Generally dispersed throughout the district and almost always 

 solitary ; this Wagtail was observed on 20 dates between 23rd 

 October and April 12th. 



Beavan says that Dr. Scott' observed the species. "In 186S 

 in Ambala on September 3rd ; and in 1866, on 21st Sep- 

 tember, upwards of 60 in a flock." Ihis last record if correct 

 is most remarkable, but 1 fear that it more probably referred to 

 some other form of Wagtail. 



833. The Grey-headed Wagtail — Motacilla borealis, Sundev. 

 835. The Indian Blue-headed Wagtail — Motacilla heema, Sykes. 



' Both these races of Wagtail occur in the district, but in the 



absence of a safhcient number of specimens obtained, I was 

 unable to work out their status. Yellow Wagtails of sorts were 

 noted in December, February and March, and became most 

 abundant on passage in April.* 



837.* The Yellow-headed Wagtail— iIfcr/«cj7/« citrcola, Pall. 



838, Hodgson's Yellow-headed Wagtail — Motacilla citreo'oides (Hodga.) 

 YeUojW-headed Wagtails were observed commonly about the 

 marshes of Chamkaur on 13th and I4th December, and a 

 few were seen on other dates in the winter, with an increase 

 on migration in April. Both forms were probably represented 

 but I failed to secure a series to settle the point. 



840. The Tree Pipit— ^ra/A/Js triiialis (L.). 



Met with in small numbers from the beginning of November 

 until the end of February: during March it seemed to become 

 more numerous, and at the end of that month and during the 

 first half of April there were certainly a number passing through 

 on the spring migration. 



844*. The Brown Rock Pipit — Antlms similis (Jerd.). 



A large Pipit which was probably of this species was seen 

 on the edge of the Ghaggar Nala at Chandighar on loth 

 February. 



848*. The Tawny Pipit — Anthus campestris (L.). 



Observed in small numbers about the neighbourhood of Civil 

 Lines from November to the middle of January. 



861. ft. The Central Asian Pipit — Anihus blakistor.i (Harlut.). 



This Pipit was found in great numbers about Mubariqpur 

 from 5th to 7th November ; it was frequenting the coarse 

 rushy grass on the banks of the Ghaggfir, and also the rice 

 ' ' fields and swampy ground of the marshes there. When I 



visited this same ground on ]9-20th February the nvmbers were 

 gone, but there were a few Pipits about, which may have been of 

 the same species. 



A number of Pipits met in similar situations at Chamkaur on 

 13th and 14th December, and by the Sutlej at Eupar on 22nd 

 March were attributed to this species, but no specimens were 

 obtained. 



* Reavan has a short note on Motacilla viridis but not of sufficient value to 

 merit any speculation as to its identity. The same name occurs la Dr. Scott'* 

 catalogue. 



