152 Mr. C, Ingram — (Jrmiholoijical 



35. MoTACiLLA ALBA GRAXDis (Sliarpc). Japanese Pied 

 Wagtail. 



Motacilla japonica Seebohm^ B. Jap. Emp. p. 112. 



MotaciUa alba grandis Hartert, V()g. pal. Fauna^ p. 309. 



On most of the mountain rivers this bird is very common ; 

 1 found it especially so on the rapids of the Katsuragawa in 

 the Kioto District^ where some of the young had already left 

 the nest by April 29th. All, however, had not flown, and on 

 May 3rd I found a nest containing six fledgings. This was 

 placed in a tuft of water-grass close to the weir of Arashi- 

 yama. Ten days later I found another nest, also with young, 

 built under a large boulder in the river-bed at Nikko. By 

 these dates it may be seen that the bird is a very early 

 breeder, and it doubtless rears two broods in the season. 

 This species sings more freely than the European Pied 

 Wagtails. 



36. Motacilla BOARULA MELANOPE (Pall.). Eastern Grey 

 Wagtail. 



Motacilla hoarula melanope Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. 

 p. 114. 



Jap. : Ki-sekirei. 



The Japanese representative of the Grey Wagtail some- 

 what differs in its habits from the European bird. Instead 

 of being found in the wilder parts of the torrential streams 

 (where it is replaced by the Japanese Pied Wagtail), it shews 

 a marked preference for the neighbourhood of villages, being 

 commonest in the mountain districts. Here the males may 

 often be seen singing composedly from the house-tops and 

 taking no heed of the noise and bustle of the streets below. 

 I believe a thatched roof is the usual site selected by this 

 species for its nest, although I did not personally find one 

 in such a position ; the first which I discovered (May 20th) 

 contained young and was placed in a small stack. The 

 second was only in course of construction, but I was sur- 

 prised to find it being built in the branches of a clipped 

 yew growing by the main street of Subashiri. This Wagtail 

 is particularly plentiful in the vicinity of Nikko, 



