MOTACILLTD^;. 285 



Family MOTACILLID.E. 



The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the 

 bronchial semi-rings ; the edges of both mandibles perfectly smooth 

 except for the presence of a small notch in the upper near the tip ; 

 the hinder part of the tarsus longitudinally bilaminated, the 

 laminsc entire and smooth ; wing with nine primaries, the first and 

 second nearly equal ; bill long and slender ; the longest second- 

 aries reaching nearly or quite to the tip of the wing ; a complete 

 autumn and a partial spring moult ; young not very dissimilar to 

 the adult ; tail of twelve feathers ; rictal bristles present and fairly 

 well developed ; sexes alike or nearly so ; tarsus slightly scutel- 

 lated. 



The Motacillidce comprise the Wagtails and Pipits, birds of wide 

 distribution, and, in nearly all cases, migratory. 



The Indian species of this family resemble each other very closely 

 in structure, and there are few characters by which to divide them 

 into genera. I shall content myself with making use of four 

 genera, two of them being of large extent, and two restricted to a 

 single species each. 



The Wagtails and Pipits are chiefly found on the ground ; a few 

 species have the habit of flying up into trees when disturbed. 

 They feed entirely on insects, and their deportment is very grace- 

 ful. They have no great power of song. 



Key to the Genera. 



A. Upper plumage neither streaked iior mottled, 



but plain. 

 a'. Middle pair of tail-feathera as long as the 



others, or longer MOTACILLA, p. 285. 



b'. Middle pair of tail-feathers abruptly 



shorter than the next, and of a markedly 



different colour LIMONIDROMUS, p. 300. 



B. Upper plumage streaked or mottled. 



c'. Tips of tail-feathers rounded and of nor- 

 mal shape ANTHUS, p. 301. 



d'. Tips of tail-feathers sharply pointed OBEOCOBYS, p. 313. 



Genus MOTACILLA, Linn., 1706. 



The genus Motacilla contains the typical Wagtails, which are 

 found over the whole of the Old World. 



In Motacilla the upper plumage is quite plain, being character- 

 ized by an utter absence of all streaks, spots, or mottlings. The 



