THE BIRDS OF TRAVANCORE. 47L 



and the High Range and again in the low country at Alwaye in North 

 Travancore in January, 1903. 



(117) Motacilla maderaspatensis. — The Large Pied Wagtail. 



Oates, No. 831 ; Jerdon, No. 589. 

 Common in the plains, but does not ascend the hills. It has 

 a very sweet song during the breeding season at the end of the 

 year. 



(118) Motacilla melanope. — The Gray Wagtail. 



Oates, No. 832 ; Jerdon, No. 592. 



This wagtail is one of the earliest of our winter visitors and stays well 



on into May. It is found only on the hills from about 1,000 feet 



elevation upwards. It may be met with on almost every path in the 



forest in the neighbourhood of streams. 



(Hit) Limonidrobius indicus. — The Forest Wagtail. 

 Oates, No. 839 ; Jerdon, No. 595. 

 Mr. F. W. Bourdillon says of this : — " Another winter visitor, which 

 arrives soon after and stays nearly as long as the preceding species. 

 It is of solitary habit, and frequents open jungle in the neighbour- 

 hood of cultivation. Its note bears a considerable resemblance to that 

 of the English chaffinch." 



When I was living on the hills I often saw it, but when visiting 

 them of late years I have not come across it. 



(120) Anthus maculatus. — The Indian Tree Pipit. 

 Oates, No. 841 ; Jerdon, No. 596. 

 I have only seen this bird at high elevations on the hills and never 

 in the plains. I have collected it on the High Range, and in April, 

 1903, 1 shot four specimens at Ghimunji in the south at an elevation 

 of 4,000 feet in open grass land surrounded by foresi They were in 

 flocks and were feeding on the ground, and when disturbed took 

 refuge in the trees after a long flight, which is jerky and drop- 

 ping, and during which they uttered a single sharp note from time 

 to time. 



(121) Anthus nilgipjensis. — The Nilgiri Pipit. 

 Oates, No. 842 ; Jerdon, No. 598. 

 Oates gives the distribution as " the Nilgiri and Palni Hills, " but as 

 might be expected it is :dso found on the High Range of Travancore. 

 Hero it is resident and fairly common in the open grass lands. 

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