MOTACILLA. 295 



As the winter passes the upper plumage becomes worn and 

 browner iu colour, and the black bases of the breast-feathers larger 

 and more distinct. 



After the spring moult the forehead, crown, nape, and hind 

 neck are dark slaty grey ; the back, scapulars, and rump yellowish 

 green ; the upper tail-coverts dark brown, with greenish margins ; 

 the wings and tail as in winter, but with the margins of the 

 feathers of the former decidedly yellow ; lores, cheeks, round the 

 eye, and the ear-coverts black; traces of a narrow supercilium 

 sometimes present ; the whole lower plumage very bright yellow, 

 with concealed black bases to the feathers of the breast ; these 

 bases become more conspicuous as the summer passes. 



Female. In winter does not differ from the male ; in summer it 

 has the upper green parts duller, the crown and nape very faintly 

 tinged with slaty, and almost concolorous with the green back, the 

 lower plumage less brilliant yellow, with the mottlings on the 

 breast more developed, the lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts brown, 

 not black, and the supercilium generally slightly developed and 

 of a pale fulvous colour. As the summer goes on, the head 

 becomes greyer owing to the green tips wearing away. 



The young bird on first arrival in India has the entire upper 

 plumage greyish brown, tinged with blue on the rump ; the upper 

 tail-coverts black, edged with grey ; tail and wings as in the adult, 

 but with the margins of the wing-feathers very pale and almost 

 white ; a very broad and nearly white supercilium ; lores and ear- 

 coverts greyish brown ; lower plumage white, with a row of brown 

 spots on either side of the throat, meeting and forming a gorget 

 across the breast. 



During the winter a series of changes are undergone, tending to 

 make the young resemble the adult, and the full plumage appears 

 to be assumed by the first spring. 



Iris brown ; bill blackish brown, the base of the lower mandible 

 yellowish ; legs, feet, and claws dark horn-colour. 



Length about 7 ; tail 3'1 ; wing 3-2 ; tarsus -9 ; bill from 

 gape -7. 



Distribution. A winter visitor to every portion of the Empire 

 except the higher parts of the Himalayas, where this species is only 

 found on migration. It occurs in winter in the Malay Peninsula. 

 In summer it ranges to Northern Siberia, and it is also found 

 according to season over a considerable portion of Europe and 

 Africa. 



The true M. cinereicapilla, a closely allied species, is confined to 

 Southern Europe and portions of Africa. 



834. Motacilla flava. The Blue-headed Wagtail. 

 Motacilla flava, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 331 (1706) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. 



x, p. 516, pi. vi, figs. 3-5. 

 Budytes flava (Linn.), Hmne, Cat.uo. 593 ter (part.) ; Gates, B. B. i, 



p. 162. 

 Budytes beema (Syfas), Hume, S. F, x, p. 227 note. 



