163 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Konipas Butohlavy. Germany: Gelb- 

 kopfige Bachstehe. Russia: Trjasoguska zeltogolovaja. 



Motacilla citreola Pall. Dresser, Birds of Europe, III, p. 245; id, 

 Man. Pal. Birds, p. 203. M. citreola citreola Pall. Hartert, Yog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 296. 



Breeding Range: N. E. Russia. [Also Siberia to Mongolia.] 



Seebohm and Harvie Brown met with this species in the con- 

 Petschora valley in small numbers as far S. as about lat. 66", but in e^^q ^ 

 the delta of the river it was quite the commonest bird, haunting the 

 open spaces between the willow thickets on the islands in great 

 numbers. It is however absent from the Dwina delta, but is said to 

 occur in the Orenburg Government (?). [In Asia its range extends 

 from the Ob valley and perhaps N. Turkestan through Siberia to Lake 

 Baikal. Przewalski found it breeding commonly in S. E. Mongolia, but 

 not in Ussuri Land, while in the mountain ranges of Central Asia it is 

 replaced by M. c. citreolides (Gould). 



Carefully concealed among the tangled grass and flowers in the Nest. 

 open spaces between the clumps of willows, in the Petschora delta; 

 while in Dauria, Dybowski found it sheltered by dry grass or low 

 scrub in marshy places. It is placed on the ground, and is composed 

 of grasses and bents, sometimes with moss, lined with fine roots 

 and reindeer hair, while occasionally a few feathers are also added. 

 Inner diameter about 21 in., depth about II in. It is a very 

 difficult nest to find; the cock being generally on the look out, 

 and both sexes flying about overhead with incessant cries on the 

 approach of danger. 



Usually 5 or 6, exceptionally 7 in number. They are very similar Eggs. 

 in appearance to those of M. flava, but as a rule the markings are 

 less distinct, and the general appearance paler. The ground colour 

 is yellowish white, thickly specked with small pale rusty spots, and 

 frequently with a dark hair line or two at the big end. There is 

 but little gloss. 



In the Petschora delta eggs were taken from June 19 to 27, Breeding 

 and young able to fly were procured on July 20, and were common 

 by August 1. In Dauria also the eggs are laid about mid- June. Only 

 one brood is reared. 



Average of 64 eggs (15 by Dybowsky, Rey, etc., and 49 by the Measure- 

 writer), 19.05X14.06 mm.. Max. 21x15 mm., Min. 18x14 mm. ""'"*''■ 

 A dwarf egg from the Petschora measui^es 16.8x13.2 mm. "Weight 

 (5 eggs), 127 mg. (Rey). 



11* 



