98 Dr. E. Hartert on Motacilla subpersonata. 



so. They arrive together, spend a few moments or, if they 

 find fruit, a longer time in one place, and then are off to 

 another, flying in a body with a cheerful twittering noise. 

 Once I saw a small flock feeding and resting in a low tree, 

 where they could be observed at close quarters. While 

 watching me they went through some antics that seemed 

 comical and almost impudent, extending one wing and 

 keeping the other closed, so that I could not help thinking 

 of a boy standing on one leg and extending the other. 



27. Pycnonotus gabonensis (Ibis, 1904., p. 638). 



The " Nkwe'ele " is the commonest bird of the cleared 

 land, or, at any rate, that most frequently seen and heard, 

 for it is bold and continually utters its cheerful little call or 

 song. It sings most heartily in rainy weather. It is a 

 versatile bird, being able to circle round and snap up insects 

 on the wing like a Flycatcher, as well as to cling by its claws 

 to the bark of a perpendicular tree-trunk like a Woodpecker. 



Nests of the Nkwe'ele are often found placed on plan- 

 tains, bushes, or small trees. The fabric is shallow and 

 cup-shaped, made of dry leaves as a base, with fine root-fibres 

 or grass-stems for the interior, and is not lined. 



VI. — Remarks on Motacilla subpersonata Meade-Waldo. 

 By Ernst Hartert, Ph.D. 



Nearly everywhere in the Palaearctic Region a form of 

 black-and-white Wagtail is met with. It is therefore not 

 very strange that one should be found breeding in Northern 

 Africa. Until recently this had not been ascertained to be the 

 case, as we only knew of Motacilla alba alba and Motacilla 

 alba lugubris being winter-visitants there. But recently 

 Mr. Meade-Waldo has discovered a very interesting and 

 peculiar race of this group breeding in Western Morocco, 

 on the Oum Rbiah or Waad Moorbey. It is true that years 

 ago Dr. Sharpe bought from Mr. Boucard a specimen of a 

 Wagtail said to have been received from Morocco, which is 

 now in the British Museum. This example must, however, 



