172 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA, 



Distribution. — The Gray-headed Wagtail, divided into 

 several geographical races, is found over the greater part of 

 the Old World, breeding in the north and wintering in the 

 south. The present sub-species breeds in Northern Europe 

 and Western Siberia, wintering in Africa and in Southern 

 Asia as far east as the Malay Peninsula. It is one of our 

 commonest Passerine migrants, arriving about the middle of 

 September, It is abundant during the north-east monsoon 

 all over the low-country, but is less numerous in the south-east 

 of the Island than in the north. In the hills it is not nearly 

 so common as the last species. It leaves for the most part in 

 April. 



Habits. — On its first arrival this Wagtail may be seen in 

 swarms on grassy fiats near the sea in the west and north of 

 the Island. A number of birds remain in these haunts. 

 Others spread inland to newly ploughed paddy fields, grassy 

 land round tanks, &c. They are restless birds continually- 

 running about or taking short flights in their hunt for flies 

 and other small insects. They roost at night in large colonies 

 in the long grass of swamps, &c, 



Dendrognathus indicus. 

 The Forest Wagtail. 



Lirnonidfomus indicus (Gates, Vol. II., p. 300 ; Legge, p. 614). 



Description. — Upper plumage, including ear coverts and 

 lesser wing coverts, duU olive-green ; tail coverts blackish- 

 brown ; median and greater wing coverts black with broad 

 whitish tips, which form two conspicuous wing bars ; wing 

 quills brown, the innermost secondaries with broad olive- 

 brown tips, remaining quills with edges of yellowish-white 

 on the central portion of the outer webs ; most of the primaries 

 also with a patch of the same colour near the base ; middle 

 pair of tail feathers the same hue as the back ; next three pairs 

 blackish-brown, the next pair white with broad brown bases, the 

 outermost pair almost entirely white ; cheeks, chin, throat, 

 and lower plumage white with a yellow tinge on the chest, 

 which is crossed by two broad black bands, the lower band 

 being incomplete in the middle. 



