298 BRITISH BIRDS. 



of the first primary) are perfectly different. As this is not 

 set out in Saunders' " Manual." I give it below : — 



Greenish Willow-Warbler Eversmann's Warbler 



(Pliylloscopus viridan,U8) (Phylloscopus borealis) 



Primaries. Primaries. 



1st {i.e., bastard) 7 to 8 mm. 1st (i.e., bastard) seldom a shade 



longer than primary-coverts. longer, generally equal to, some- 

 times shorter than, primary- 

 coverts. 



2nd equal to the 7th or between 2nd slightly longer than 6th, i.e., 



the 7th and 8th (occasionally between 5th and 6th (very 



slightly shorter than the 8th occasionally slightly shorter 



and rarely a shade longer than than 6th). 

 the 7 th). 



2nd to 5th inclusive sloped off on 2nd to 5th inclusive sloped off on 



the outer web, and the 6th | the outer web. 

 sloped off towards the tip. 



4th longest, 3rd and 5th slightly 3rd longest, 4th slightly shorter, 



shorter. 5th shorter than 4th. 



I should mention that Mr. Caton Haigh had noticed the 

 length of the bastard-primary and had always felt sure that 

 his bird Avas correctly identified. 



H. F. Witherby. 



" GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL." 

 On page 257 of Vol. III. of British Birds I find recorded a 

 male of the " Grey-headed Wagtail (M. flava viridis) " from 

 Romney Marsh. 



This nomenclature is incomprehensible and misleading. 

 Probably the Scandinavian form with a dark grey, almost and 

 often quite slate-coloured, head is meant, but the name 

 " Grey-headed Wagtail " for this form is ill-chosen, because 

 it is much better applied to the Mediterranean Motacilla flava 

 cinereocapilla. Moreover, the name Motacilla viridis, Gmelin, 

 cannot be used. It is based on Fig. 2, Plate 23, of Brown's 

 " Zoology." That figure depicts a bird from Ceylon. It is 

 not correct enough to say to which form of Wagtail it belongs ; 

 in fact, Sharpe (see Cat. B. Brit. Mus., X., p. 522) says it is 

 " not recognisable as belonging to a Wagtail at all." Though 

 I think a Wagtail is meant, I agree that it is an inexact figure, 

 and the Scandinavian, or better Northern, slate-headed 

 Wagtail must be called Motacilla flava thunbergi, Billberg, 

 1828. This name has been discovered by Lonnberg (see 

 Joum. f. Orn., 1906, p. 351) and antedates Sundevall's borealis, 

 which has generally been adopted for the same. 



Ernst Hartert. 



