300 MOTACILLIDJE. 



Genus LIMONIDROMUS, Gould, 1862. 



The genus Limonidromus contains one species of Wagtail some- 

 what resembling the Pied Wagtails in colour, but the whole upper 

 plumage is suffused with green. The structure of the tail in this 

 genus is peculiar, inasmuch as the middle pair of feathers is very 

 markedly shorter than the others and of a different colour. The 

 sexes are quite alike. 



The Forest-Wagtail is found in well-wooded parts of the country 

 and frequently runs about under the shade of trees. On being 

 disturbed it has the habit of perching on a branch. It wags its 

 tail incessantly and does not differ from the other Wagtails in its 

 general habits. 



839. Limonidromus indicus. The For est- Wagtail. 

 Motacilla indica, Gmel. Syst. Nat, i, p. 962 (1788). 

 Nemoricola indica {Gm.),Blyth, Cat. p. 136; Horsf. $ M. Cat.i, 

 p. 353 ; Jerd. B. 1. ii, p. 226 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxyii, pt, ii, 

 p. 48. 

 Limonidromus indicus (Gm.), Hume §• Dav. S. F. vi, p. 364 ; Lcar/c, 

 Birds Ceyl. p. 614; Hume, Cat. no. 595-^Skarpe, Cat. B. M.x, 

 p. 532 ; Gates, B. B. i, p. 164 ; Barnes, L'irds Bom. p. 241. 

 The Blaeh-breasfed War/tail, Jerd. ; Ihhalla-jitta, Tel. 



Fig. 82. — Head of L. indicus. 



Coloration. Plumage above dull olive-green, the tail-coverts 

 dark brown or sometimes black ; ear-coverts and lesser wiug-coverts 

 also olive-green ; a supercilium from the bill over the eye to the 

 nape, the cheeks, chin, throat, and all the lower plumage yellowish 

 white ; two black bands across the breast, the upper one entire, 

 the lower one broken in the middle ; median and greater wing- 

 coverts black, with broad yellowish-white tips forming two bands 

 across the coverts ; quills brown, the second to the seventh primaries 

 with a patch of yellowish white on the outer web near the base ; 

 all the primaries and secondaries with an abrupt margin of 

 yellowish white near the tip on the outer w ? eb ; tertiaries brown, 

 broadly tipped with olive-green ; middle pair of tail-feathers 

 similar to the back ; the next three pairs dark brown ; the next 

 pair brown with a large wdiite tip ; and the outer pair all white, 

 except at their base, where they are brown. 



Irides nearly black ; upper mandible dusky brown, lower 

 mandible fleshy white ; legs and feet purplish white; claws horny 

 white (Armstrong). 



