THE BIRDS OF BANGKOK. 201 



black, except tlie foi'i'head ami anterior portion of the crown, wliicii, 

 together with the sides of the head and nech, cheeks, chin and upper 

 throat, are wliite ; lower throat, fore neck and upper breast black ; 

 remainder of lower plumage white; median and greater wing-coverts 

 white, except a small portion of the inner webs ; quills black, with 

 the basal portion of the inner webs, and the edges ot the outer webs, 

 white ; the four middle jiairs of tail-feathers black, narrowly margined 

 with white on the outer webs^the remaining feathers b'ing white, 

 with a varying amount of black at the base and on the inner webs. 

 Winter I'luiii'i'ie. The whole back, rump and- upper tail-coverts be- 

 come gre\' ; the lesser wing-coverts grey mixed with black ; the lower 

 throat and fore neck white instead of black, while the black on the 

 upper breast is reduced to a crescentic patch. 



Iris brown. Bill black, the base of the lower mandible with a 

 bluish tinge. Legs very dark brown. Claws dark horn-colour. 



Distrihution. Appearp to have been recorded only from Xor- 

 tliern and Central Siam. 



JIahits, cC'j. A cold weather visitor to 8iaui. in Bangkok this 

 species is evidently rare, as 1 Iiave observed it two or three times only, 

 and have obtained but a single specimen h^re. This was shot on the 

 tiled roof of the stable in my corupiund, in January, while the bird 

 was running about, apparenili/ picking up insects. Outside Bangkok, 

 I have obtained it at .Samkok, 40 miles north, in a dr}' padi field on 

 the 8tli February, and it is of interest to note that this specimen was 

 in full summer plumage. Tliis fact appears to support Gyldenstolpe's 

 remark (op. cH. 1913, p. 4d) that the bird "seems to retire to its 

 breeding places in Eistcrn Siberia and China rather early" — that is, 

 as he explains further, by or before the middle of March. 



This and the next species are only found in open country, and 

 on the bare banks of rivers. &c. 



5o (633). Motacilla borealis Sundev. T/te Grcij-headcd 



]Va(jtail. 



Afotiinlla boreiili.<, Og\\\[c-Gvant, Fasc. M.ilay. ]$irds (1905\ p. 71 ; 

 Hobinson and Klos.*;, Ibis 1911, p. 73: Gyldeiisiolpc, Jouni. N. II. 

 S. Siaui I, p. 171. 



Description. Length about 178 mm. ( 7 in. ). Wiulcr plumaijc. 



The forehead, crown, mpe and hind neck bluish givy ; bick and rump 



VOL. U, MAY I'Jir. 



