LUSCINID^. 1 1 9 



sides as they stand lazily chewing the cud, to catch the small flies that 

 keep about them ; they also congregate in considerable numbers on the 

 sea-beach, to feed on the flies bred in the putrifying sea-weed : they 

 run along the sand with great agility, or walk with a stately, swagger- 

 ing gait, which is very amusing. They also congregate in flocks upon 

 favourite trees for the purpose of roosting ; and this may chiefly be 

 observed in towns. 



The nest is generally constructed in a bank if in the fields ; but when 

 in the town they select a hole in the wall, or a dense mass of leaves 

 in some plant creeping up a wall or tree. The nest is composed of 

 leaves, small roots, and horse-hair, with which the structure is lined. 

 The eggs are four or five in number, of greyish white, minutely freckled 

 with brown, chiefly at the obtuse end : axis, 9'" ; diam., 61'"- 



A yellow wagtail was sent to me by Mr. J. E.eitz, of Swellendam, 

 which was unfortunately lost through the carelessness of a person then 

 attached to the Museum, before I had time to describe it. I have 

 never received another specimen ; but if my memory serves me rightly, 

 it closely resembled the species found in Damaraland. 



220. Motacilla Longicauda, Rupp, Neue 



Wirb., PI. 29, Fig. 2. 



General colour above, cinereous ; below white ; gorget nar- 

 row, dark bluish- grey ; eyebrows white ; wings black, with 

 some of the lesser quills and the secondaries edged with 

 white ; tail white, with the exception of the four centre 

 feathers, which are coloured like the wings. Length, 7" 6'" ; 

 wing, 3" 3(" ; tail, 3" 6'". 



This very elegant wagtail has not yet occurred to me within the 

 bounds of the colony. Mr. Ayres has procured it at Natal, and 

 Huppell in Abyssinia. 



221. Motacilla Aguimp^ Tem.; M. vidua, Sund.; 

 Le Bergeronnette "dguimpe," Le Vail., PI. 178; M. 

 Levaillantii, Cab., Cuv., Vol. 1, PI. 475. 



Shining black ; eyebrows, throat, and belly white ; chest- 

 band black ; two outer tail-feathers and wing-band white. 

 Length, 8" ; wing, 3" 9'"; tail, 3" IF'. 



Le Vaillant found this species first on the borders of the Orange 

 Eiver, about the 28th degree ef south latitude, and thence to the 

 tropic. I have received one or two specimens from Beaufort West, 

 more from Colesberg, and several from Kuruman and the Free State. 

 Le Vaillant describes its habits as similar to those of the common 

 wagtail. Its nest appears to be usually built near water, in a hole 

 in a rock, or drift tree, and composed of moss, &c., and lined with 

 hair and feathers. 



222. Motacilla Indica, Gmel. ; Motacilla Varie- 

 gata, Vieil., Cuv., Vol. 1, PL 475 ; Nemoricola Indica, 

 Bp. ; Le Levandi^re varied, Le Vail., No. 179. 



Head and back, olive-brown ; Jbeneath the same, varied with 

 yellow, and a black stripe across the throat ; quills black, 



