Ornithology of Gilgit. 451 



110. MoTAciLLA HODGSONi, Gray. 



Two males of this Wagtail, shot on the 20th May, measure 

 — length 8*1 and 8"2 inches, wing 3'8 and 3'84, tail 4 and 

 4-2, tarsus 0-9 and 0-93, bill from gape 0-73, culmen 0'67 and 

 0*7; a female, shot on the I6tli May — length 7'8, wing 3'6, 

 tail 3-8, tarsus 0-9, bill from gape 0*75, culmen 07. These 

 specimens are in full breeding-plumage, and have the whole 

 back black. A comparison of the above measurements with 

 those which I give of the next species will show that M. 

 hodgsoni is not constantly larger than M. per sonata, although 

 on the average it may be a heavier bird. The black back of 

 M. hodgsoni seems to be the only constant difference between 

 the two forms; but that is certain, and proves that it is 

 specifically distinct from M. 'per sonata. 



111. MOTACILLA PERSONATA, GrOuld. 



Major Biddulph 'hientions that he did not preserve any 

 specimens of this Wagtail during the summer months ; but I 

 have a number of specimens, shot towards the end of May, 

 with pure grey backs ; certainly in both sexes of this species 

 the back is always grey. Thirty-four adult specimens, shot 

 in Gilgit, measure — length 7'4 to 8*2 inches, wing 3*3 to 3*9, 

 tail 3-5 to 4-1, tarsus 0-8 to 1*03, bill from gape 0-65 to 0-76, 

 culmen 0'63 to 0-7. 



-^112. MOTACILLA ALBA, LiuU. 



This Wagtail only passes through Gilgit on migration ; it 

 is not uncommon in April, when I secured a specimen as 

 early as the 13th, and again from the third week in Sep- 

 tember to the first week in November. A comparison of six 

 specimens from Gilgit with twenty European specimens of 

 Motacilla alba shows that the Gilgit birds are of a paler grey 

 colour on the back, and have more white on the wing ; more- 

 over winter specimens of the European bird are tinged with 

 yellow about the face, while the Gilgit examples do not show 

 any trace of this colour. Those who maintain that M. dukhu- 

 nensis of Sykes must be distinguished from M. alba would 

 class the Gilgit specimens under the former title. 



