166 CALOBATES. 



specimens to hecome almost obsolete ; while in all specimens it is more 

 or less overlaid witli sordid grey. In j^ersoiiata, on the other hand, 

 the whole breast always remains black, and though the chin and upper 

 part of the throat are white^ the lower part of the throat is still more 

 or l(^ss speckled with black. In the perfect winter plumage of both 

 species, the amount of the black on the breast, sides of the neck and 

 throat at once serve to distinguish the two species, but specimens of 

 dukhenensis changing into winter plumage often (so far as the amount 

 of black on the throat is concerned) exactly resemble the perfect winter 

 plumage oi per sonata, and the only ready and unfailing diagnosis of the 

 two species is that in both sexes, and at all seasons, the ear-coverts 

 and aural region are in personata, black, blackish, or dark grey ; in 

 dukhenensis^ pure white or greyish or sordid white/' 



Motaeilla alba, ^Lhu Sijst. Nat.i. p. 33; P. E. 652, i; 674, i; 



Naum. vogt. t. 86; Gould. B. Eur. i. pi. 143; Blf. East. Persia, ii. p. 

 232. Motaeilla dukhenensis, 8i/kes, P. Z. 8. 1832, p. 91; Hume, Sir. 

 F. vol. i. 26 to 30; vii. 136. — The White-paced Wagtail. 



Adult. — Front of the head, lores, all round the eye, ear-coverts, cheeks 

 and a broad stripe down the sides of the neck, white, as also the belly, 

 vent and under tail-coverts ; back of the head and nape, chin, throat and 

 breast black; back and scapulars darker grey than in personata ; upper 

 tail-coverts dark brown, a few feathers margined white ; primaries 

 dusky brown, the out webs darker, with a very faint whitish edge ; 

 secondaries, tertiaries and inner webs of the median greater coverts 

 dark brown, nearly black; all broadly edged white on their outer webs, 

 and, except the primaries, tipped with white; the inner webs of the 

 primaries and secondaries margined for their basal half with white; 

 lesser wing-coverts concolorous with the back ; tail black, the two outer- 

 most feathers white, except a dark brown margin for nearly three- 

 fourths their length on their inner webs, and, in some specimens, on 

 the outer near the shaft ; under wing and thigh-coverts white, the 

 latter with some dark streaks ; bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. 



Length. — 7*5 to 8 inches, wing 3*75, tail 4*75. 



Hah. — East Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, Palestine; Siud, Punjab, 

 N. W. Provinces, Central Provinces to Cashmere; Beloochistan, 

 Persia, Afghanistan, Kutch, Kattiawar, Jodhpore, .Jeypore, North 

 Guzerat, Deccan, Concau, Khaudeish, Central India. Throughout India, 

 the white-faced Wagtail is a winter visitant. Breeds in Persia. 



Gen. Calobates — ii^az^ji. 



Bill more slender and the wing shoi'ter than in Motaeilla ; tarsi 

 shorter ; legs and feet pale. 



CalobateS boarula, Penn-, P. E. 28, i. ; Ediv. B. pi, 259; Naur)i. 

 vogt. t. 87; Gould. B. Eur. pi. 347. Calobates sulphurea [Beclist.) De. 

 F. Viag. in Pers. p. 348 ; Blf. East. Persia, ii. p. 233; Jerd. B. hid. vol. 

 ii. p. 220; Hume, Sir. F. vol. ii. p. 237; Murray, HdbJc, Zool, cj-c, 

 Sind., p. 167. — The Geey and Yellow Wagtail. 



