MOTACILLID.K TIIK WAUTAILS. 



165 



Subfamily MOTACILLIN-aS. 



Ge\us MOTACILLA, Linn. 



Mofacilla, Linn. Syst. Nat. (T\\»; MotticilUi alba.) 



The diagiio.si.s alreatly j,nven of MotaciUa will serve to define it. The 

 genus is an Old AVovld one, represented by several species, only one of which 

 {M. alha) is entitled to a place here from occurring in Greenland. 



G 



^^..^ 



Motacilla alba, Linn. 



WHITE WAGTAIL. 



Mutodlhi idhi, Linn. Syst. Nat. l-2th cd. 170li, :!31. — Kkys. k Hi,.\s. Will). Europ. 1840, 

 xlix, ami 171. — Dwii-.vNi), (»iii. Kmoii. 1, 1811), 4;!3. — Hi:iNH.Mil>r, Ibis, l.Stil, ti 

 ((.iivciilan.l). — Nkwton, Haiing-OoiiM's Ici'laiul, 18G3, \\>\^. (" rather pli'Htiful"). — 

 H.uiii), l!cv. Am. R ISiU, 1.52. 



Fij^uic : (icui.l). Birds KtiiDiic, 113. 



Sp. Cii.M!. (il,41() $, Niinilifr.u). Forehead a.s far hack as above the pyo.«, with s;i<h'S 

 of head and iioek, white ; tlie reinaiiiiiig; portion of head an ' neek above and below 

 to tliejnn;uluni, black; the rest 

 of under parts white. Up- 

 per parts ashy-gray, inelu<ling 

 rump ; the uppei' tail-eoverts 

 tinged with blaek. Wing.s 

 with two eonspieuous Viands 

 and the outer edges of the .see- 

 onilaries while. Tail-feallier.s 

 blaek; the outer two white, 

 oilged willi Mai'k internally. 

 Hill and legs blaek. Tip of 

 wing fornieil by outei' three 

 priniarie.s ; the ilistauee be- 

 tween the third anil fourth 

 about one third that between 



the fourth and lillh. Tarsi lengthened; elaw small ; hind loi' and claw shorter than tlie 

 middle, its elaw sliort, eousiderably curved, less than the toe alone; l.ileral toes nearly 

 ecpial. [A'uglh, T.liO ; wing, .1.4.') ; tad. ;!.!)0 ; bill li-oni nostril, .;J7 ; tarsus, .Hli; hind toe 

 and elaw, ..")(>. 



lI.Mi. ('(Uitinental Kurope, rarer in Kngland ; Iceland; (Jrcenland (only two specimens 

 seen); Siberia; Syria; Nidiia. etc. 



Motdcillii i/nnrl/i, a closely allied species, hy some considered a variety 

 only, dill'ers in having th.e ninip lilack, tlie asliy of the back glo.s.scd with 

 blackisli, and with the lilack edging of the kiteral tail-featliers broader. 



Habits. Tlie common White Wagtail of Kuuipe claims a place in the 



Mnfnrilh nlbn. 



