M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta. 257 



and other insects, and in the one which I shot in February I 

 found the seed of some plant. This bird, as well as many other 

 small species, however, must be very fond of sweet things, because 

 the Hindoos maintain that they live upon sugar, and the Ben- 

 galcse name Sokkor-kurra signifies sugar-eater. In Madagascar 

 some other kinds of Cinnyris are named Soui-manga, which it is 

 said means the same. In the month of March, when the large 

 cotton-tree {Bombax malabaricus) was in blossom, its tulip-like 

 flowers were very much visited by these as well as some other 

 birds, i. e. the Indian magpie and starling, but they look for in- 

 sects and not for honey. The stomach is small and very thin, 

 almost like skin ; the liver is large and whitish ; the tongue is 

 long, divided into two narrow flat strips, and entire, with the 

 margins near the root turned in, almost forming a tube. I only 

 heard a short whistling sound from them occasionally. 



24. Motacilla alba var., tectricibus alarum majoribus intermediis 

 totis, reliquis pogonio externo albis. — $ 22 Martii ; ala 81 mill., 

 tarsus 20, rectrices mediae 82. Plaga juguli lunata, verticeque usque 

 in nucham, nigris. 



Only one specimen of this species was obtained, but several 

 were seen in the same place near Sucsagor, in the vicinity of the 

 river, also one near Calcutta, February 9. They were all gray 

 above as with us, but in the female brought home, the dorsal 

 feathers have towards their sides and tips a slight though con- 

 spicuous streak of black which cannot be seen at a distance in the 

 living specimens. Possibly the older individuals become black 

 in summer, as in many places in southern Europe and central 

 Asia. I saw no more wagtails after the 22nd of March ; they 

 probably then migrate to the north. With the exception of the 

 above-mentioned distinctions, the specimen brought home is 

 altogether like the same bird in winter-clothing (March, April) 

 with us, except that the black and white colouring of the head is 

 somewhat purer than is usually the case here with the females. 

 Notes, habits, &c. not thoroughly known. 



25. Motacilla flava. — Our well-known Yellow Wagtail was 

 seen several times (first on February 9), and was shot once, on 

 March 12, on a grassy plain near the river, where it occurred 

 abundantly along with Charadrius minor. As I on that day had 

 collected more birds than I could preserve, the specimen was not 

 brought home ; I trusted to shoot a wagtail another time, but 

 did not succeed. As far as I could see, it showed no difference 

 from our common species of South Sweden ; and among many 

 which I saw alive at a short distance, I perceived none with a 

 black head, as is common with the adult males in summer plu- 

 mage in Dalmatia, Lapland and central Asia. 



