204 MOTACILLINiE. 



straighter and more attenuated, the claws shorter, and the tail 

 much more elongated. The bill and feet of the Motacill^ re- 

 semble those of the Saxicolae, from which they differ in the 

 elongation of the tail ; and in Enicurus, the bill in some mea- 

 sure resembles that of the Flycatchers, although the feet are 

 much larger than those of that group. 



The plumage of the Motacillinas is changed in the warm 

 season ; but in the Motacillae an additional partial alteration 

 takes place in spring, by which the colours of the fore part of 

 the neck are altered. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH GENERA AND SPECIES. 



GENUS I. BUDYTES. QUAKETAIL. 



Bill of moderate length, slender, straight, a little broader 

 than high at the base, compressed towards the end, its upper 

 outline slightly declinate, at the end very slightly declinato- 

 arcuate ; the tip acute, with an obscure notch ; toes of mode- 

 rate length, much compressed ; hind claw elongated, slender, 

 tapering, extremely compressed, little arched ; wings long, 

 broad, the first primary wanting, the next three longest, one 

 of the inner secondaries as long when the wing is closed ; tail 

 long, straight, slender, rounded at the end. 



1. Budytes flava. Blue-headed Quaketail. Male with the 

 head and hind-neck greyish-blue ; a white band over the eye ; 

 the upper parts yellowish-green, the lower bright yellow. Fe- 

 male similar, but with the head brownish-grey, the lower parts 

 paler, the throat white. 



2. Budytes Eayi. Green-headed Quaketail. Male with the 

 head greenish-yellow ; part of the forehead, a streak over the 

 eye, the cheeks, and lower parts bright yellow ; the upper parts 

 pale greenish-yellow tinged with brown. Female similar, but 

 with the head yellowish-green, and the lower parts paler. 

 Young light brownish-grey above, the lower parts cream- 

 coloured, with an obscure dusky crescent on the fore -neck. 



