664 Col. H. Meinertzbagen on Birds from [Ibis, 



MOTACILLA FLAVA. 



I bare attempted in tbe following notes to collate from 

 my own observations and from all publisbed material a 

 resume of tbe migratory movement of tbe races of Motacilla 

 Jiava wbicb occur in tbe Near East and in eastern Africa 

 south to tbe Cape. 



Motacilla f. flava L. 



Autumn passage commences in Palestine in early August 

 and in Egypt in late August, birds becoming common in tbe 

 foruKa- country by 21. viii. and in Egy[)t by 8. ix. Passage 

 continues till tbe end of September and early October. 

 Birds do not remain tbrougb tbe winter in Palestine, but a 

 few appear to do so in Egypt. 



In the Sudan they arrive throughout October and remain 

 tbrougb tbe winter. 



They commence arriving in K(Hiya Colony and Uganda 

 from 30. ix., and are common throughout tbe winter. 



Autumn migration passes well inland, down the Nile and 

 Rift Valleys, only a few birds passing down tbe coast. 

 Many birds continue south to Natal and tbe Transvaal, where 

 I have seen them at Pretoria on 6. xi. and at Harrismith on 

 4. xii. 



Birds commence to leave South Africa towards the end of 

 March, and large numbers pass north through Kenya Colony 

 throughout April. The latest spring record for eastern 

 Africa seems to be 2. v.^ but the bulk have passed by 20. iv. 



This race was not noted passing up the coast of eastern 

 Africa on spring passage. 



The masses of Yellow Wagtails of all sorts — mainly M. f. 

 campestrls — which collect at Entebbe at tbe north-western 

 corner of the Victoria Nyanza from late March to late April 

 form one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. 

 Acres and acres of grass-land are carpeted with yellow, the 

 birds huddled together, resting and feeding, many rising a few 

 inches into tbe air^ catching flies and mosquitoes, and others 

 too tired to fly and merely running on before one's feet 



