tinental 

 Europe. 



162 



Breeding Range: The Balkan peninsula S. of tlie Danube, S. Russia 

 and the Caucasus. [Also Asia Minor and Persia.] Has once occurred in 

 England {Bull. B. 0. C, XIII, p. 69). 

 Con- In Greece it breeds in the marshes and on the edges of the 



lagoons near the sea, and is especially common on the islets where 

 colonies of Gulls nest, in Acarnania. It is also abundant in the 

 marshes of Macedonia, and Robson found a colony not far from 

 Constantinople. In Bulgaria according to Reiser, it is very plentiful 

 in some localities, e. g. near Sophia; but avoids mountainous districts 

 and becomes scarce in the Danube valley. Although more characteristic 

 of the E. than of the W. of the Balkan peninsula, it nevertheless 

 breeds in the meadows at the N. end of the Scutari Lake, and is 

 also found in S. Dalmatia. In S. Russia it is met with from the 

 mouth of the Danube to the Caucasus, where Radde states that it is 

 found nesting not only in the lowlands, but also up to over 6000 ft. 

 [An Asia Minor it is common on the islands near Smyrna, and Danford 

 found it generally distributed on suitable ground in the interior of the 

 country; while it also breeds locally in Persia, where Witherby took 

 eggs near Shiraz at 5200 ft. on May 3, 1902.] 

 Nest. Placed on the ground, either in a marsh, or when on drier 



ground sheltered by tamarisk bush or Salsola. In Bulgaria however 

 it is generally built in a cornfield. Most observers describe it as 

 well hidden and most difficult to find, but when the nests are placed 

 close together, as is sometimes the case, a careful search is generally 

 successful. 

 Eggs. Usually 5 or 6, sometimes only 4. Most eggs examined have a 



dark hair streak at the big end. 



Breeding In Greecc and Turkey the first eggs are laid at the end of April 



and the beginning of May, but in Bulgaria the time appears to be rather 

 later; while in Greece and Asia Minor eggs have been taken till late 

 in June, so that possibly two broods are reared. 



Measure- Avcragc of 18 cggs (6 by Rey and 12 by the writer), 18.68x14.45 



mm.. Max. 20.5x14.8 and 19.3x15.1 mm., Min. 17.1x14 mm. Average 

 weight (Rey), 122 mg. 



79. Yellow headed Wagtail, Motacilla citreola Pall. 



Plate 19, fig. 23 (Kultuk, Lake Baikal). 

 Eggs: Journ. f. Orn. 1873, Tab. II, fig. 20. 



ments. 



