130 BIRDS OF EGYPT. 



92. BuDTTES MELANOCEPHALA, Savi. Black-headed Yellow 



Wagtail. 



In Nubia I frequently met with this bird in April, in flocks 

 among the herbage by the river-side. Although I shot many 

 specimens out of these flocks, I never came across a grey- 

 headed bird among them. They were evidently migrating 

 northward at that season. In the Fayoom in March I shot 

 the only pair of these birds which I saw there. Specimens 

 from Egypt appear to have the black head remarkably well 

 defined. 



Top and sides of the head, ear-coverts and nape jet-black ; 

 remainder of the plumage similar to that of B. Jlava, except 

 that it has no white eyebrow and no white on the chin. 



Entire length 6'7 inches ; culmen 0-5 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 33 ; tarsus 1. 



Fig. Demidoff", Voy. Russ. Merid. tab. 2. 



93. Anthus plumatus (Midi.). TreC'Pipit. 



This bird arrives about March, when it becomes plentiful 

 throughout Egypt and Nubia. 



Upper plumage olive-brown, with the centre of most of 

 the feathers dark brown ; wings and tail dark brown, the 

 feathers edged with pale olivaceous brown, outer feathers 

 of the tail nearly white ; underparts white, tinted with 

 pale brownish yellow on the sides of the throat and chest ; 

 chest, and occasionally the flanks, distinctly marked with 

 longitudinal dark brown spots ; beak brown, paler at the 

 base of the lower mandible ; legs pale fleshy brown ; irides 

 brown. 



