468 WOTACILLIDiK. 



appear not to attain the full black head like the male, the nape re- 

 taining some of the ashy feathers, which do not change to black. 

 Total length 6-8 inches, culmcn 0-55, wing 3*3, tail 3-25, tarsus 

 0-85. 



The full plumage of both sexes is generally attained by the middle 

 of April ; but Mr. Seebohm has a male bird, shot by himself in Greece 

 on the 21st of May, which has not yet completed the change on the 

 throat and cap. 



With regard to M. dullmnensis, as the Oriental form of this 

 Wagtail is called, specimens from Siberia, collected by Mr. Seebohm 

 in the valley of the Yenesay, cannot be specifically separated from 

 M. alba, being merely of a little purer French grey. This applies 

 to the examples from India and Burmah collected in the winter 

 season ; and it seems to be a fact, as Mr. Brooks says, that the 

 young ones killed in these countries have not the yellow face of 

 European specimens ; but this can not be made a specific character, 

 for many European individuals do not have it cither. A gradual 

 transition seems to take place, as the species ranges eastwards, from 

 the duller grey of the West-European specimens to the pure grey 

 of the Siberian birds. This difference is only visible on the actual 

 comparison of a large series, and may be due to a strain of M. lugu- 

 hris, with wliich M. alba undoubtedly sometimes crosses. A pair of 

 birds presented by Lord Walsingham with their nest and young birds, 

 to illustrate the breeding of the Common Pied Wagtail of England 

 (M. lugubris), proved to belong, the male to M. alba and the female to 

 M. lugubris. Mr. Seebohm informs us that in winter he has always 

 seen the two consorting in flocks in the south of France ; and it is 

 therefore quite likely that, on their return to their breeding-quarters, 

 a White Wagtail may often mate with a Pied Wagtail. In addition 

 to the purer grey of the Eastern birds, there is always more white on 

 the wing-coverts in the Siberian and Indian specimens than in West- 

 European examples. 



Dr. Radde has recently figured (Orn. Cauc, Taf. xii.) several vari- 

 ations in the facial markings of M. alba, which seem to show very 

 clearly that there is a connection between this species and M. per- 

 si'crt, leading through to M. 'personata. 



Hab. The whole of Europe and Northern Asia, wintering in N.E. 

 Africa and Senegambia, the plains of India, and the Burmese 

 countries. 



a. S ad. sestiv. sk. Lapland, May 20. R. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.]. 



b. Juv. sk. Borregaard, &. Norway, Salvin-Godmau Coll. 



.June 1866 (P. Gochnan). 



c. S ad. gestiv. sk. Borregaard, June 1866 Salvin-Godman Coll. 



(J. Baher). 



d. 2 ad. sk. Sarpsborg, June 1866 Salvin-Godman Coll. 



(J. Baker), 



^if- 6 ; ff- 2 ad.sk. Norway, May {Colletf). Christiania Museum [P. 



h,i. c^ ad. sk. Norway, June (C'o^/e^^). Christiania Museum TP. 



k. c? juv. sk. Norway, Oct. (CoZ/e?;^). Christiania Museum [P. 



/. Pull. sk. Norway, Aug. (Collett). Christiama Museum [P.} 



