236 MOTACILLID^G MACRONYX 



bristles moderately developed. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly, each 

 side covered by an entire plate, the two forming a sharp ridge where 

 they meet posteriorly. Wing with nine developed primaries, the 

 first or outer being abortive, the second, third and fourth (the 

 abortive outer being reckoned as the first) about equal and longest ; 

 the inner secondaries about as long as the primaries. Tail very 

 variable in length, of twelve feathers. Sexes alike or not differing 

 much in colour ; the young nearly resembling the adults. Two 

 moults in the year, one complete, one partial, or, in some instances, 

 two complete moults. The Longclaws (Macronyx) are confined to 

 Africa, but the Pipits (Anthus) and Wagtails (Motacilla) are dis- 

 tributed over the greater part of the globe, being most abundant in 

 Europe, Asia and Africa. Many of the species are migratory. 

 About seventy species are included in the family, of these nineteen 

 occur in South Africa, five being annual migrants from Europe or 

 Western Asia and the remaining fourteen resident. 



All the species of Motacillida are chiefly insectivorous as regards 

 their food, and the majority search for it on the ground, the 

 Wagtails preferring the neighbourhood of water for this purpose. 

 Many are fairly good songsters, but they differ widely in this 

 respect. All lay spotted eggs in open nests usually built on the 

 ground, occasionally in holes in banks or rocks or under stones. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Plumage more or less mottled. 



a 1 . Outstretched feet reaching beyond the end 



of tail Macronyx, p. 236. 



6 1 . Outstretched feet not reaching the end of tail Anthus, p. 242, 



b. Plumage plain and unmottled Motacilla, p. 253. 



Genus I. MACRONYX. 



Type. 

 Macronyx, Swains. Zool. Jour, iii, p. 344 (1817) M. capensis. 



Bill moderate, straight ; the culmen slightly arched and equal 

 in length to the hind toe. Nostrils naked, large, the aperture 

 oblong. Eictal bristles well developed, reaching beyond the 

 nostrils. Wings rather short, the four first quills equal and 

 longest. Tail rather short and slightly rounded. Tarsus long 

 and strong. Feet very large, the hind toe with its claw exceeding 



