196 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in most parts of Europe, from 

 middle Scandinavia to Pyrenees, and (in small numbers) north 

 Italy, eastwards throughout Russia (limits in south-east uncertain) 

 and Hungary to Danube and Save. Winters in Africa. Repre- 

 sented in north Europe, Mediterranean countries, south Russia, 

 and various parts of north Asia by a number of other forms. 



78. Motacilla flava beema (Sykes)— SYKES 'S WAGTAIL. 



BuDYTES Beema Sykes, Proc. Committee Zool. Soc, London, Part 11, 

 1832, p. 90 (1832— Dekkan, India). 



Motacilla beema, Butterfield, Zool., 1902, p. 232 ; Saunders, Brit. B., i, 

 p. 11 ; N. F. Ticehurst, t.c, i, p. 136. 



Description (Plate 7). — Adult male. Winter. — Resembling that 

 of M. f. flava but crown less brown and more green and grey and 

 ear-coverts rather greyer, not so brown. Summer. — Fore-head and 

 crown considerably paler, more ashy blue-grey, and ear-coverts 

 with more white than in M. f. flava. 



Female. — Cannot be distinguished from that of 31. f. flava. 



Nestling and juvenile. — (Not examined.) 



First winter. Male. — Crown apparently very slightly paler 

 and eye-stripe rather whiter than in M. f. flava, but most specimens 

 cannot be distinguished. 



Measurements and structure. — Like M. f. flava but tail usually 

 rather shorter, (^ 67-71 mm. (12 measured). 



Breeding-habits. — Probably similar to other races. 



Food. — Also probably insects. 



Distribution. — England. — One. Male, Rottingdean (Sussex), 

 April 20, 1898 {ut supra). [A male, Sussex, May 31, 1901, 

 said to have been probably of this race, is a worn example of M. f. 

 flava (N. F. Ticehurst, Brit. B.. 1, p. 136.] Scotland.— One. Male, 

 Fair Isle, May 18, 1910 (W. E. Clarke, Scot. Nat., 1913, p. 153). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — West Siberia. Winters in India. Casual 

 in Europe (Hungary, Italy and Tunisia). 



79. Motacilla flava thunbergi Billberg* — THE GREY- 

 HEADED WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla Thunbergi Billberg, Synopsis Fauna Scand., i, 2, Aves, 

 p. 50 (1828— Lapland). 



Motacilla viridis Gm.: M. borealis Sundev., Saunders, Brit. B., i, p. 10 ; 

 M. f. borealis Sund., N. F. Ticehurst, t.c, i, p. 136. 



* Billberg's name antedates Sundevall's borealis by 14 years, and has 

 now been widely adopted. — E.H. 



