THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA. 245 
The males in spring are very distinctive ; the white chin is fairly constant, 
white moustache rather variable, supercilium broad and distinct (noticeable 
in the field), sometimes tinged with yellow ; ear-coverts are very dark blackish- 
slate mixed with white. The females which I have presumed to be of the race 
have a clear supercilium white or buffish white ; dark brown lores, ear-coverts 
and head. The adult male in autumn is not unlike the spring bird, but the 
head not so pure a dark grey, ear coverts dark brown mixed with a little white 
and the yellow breast has a gorget of dark spots, as in many other forms. 
(2) Records of this race cannot be picked out. Probably it is fairly common at 
the same times of passage as the other Wagtails. 
Buxton obtained two males at the Hamar Lake on May 18th from a party 
and Pitman got one at Feluja on April 14th, one obtained by Buxton at Baghdad 
on October 3rd I am inclined to think belongs to this race ; it is a male with brown 
head and ear coverts, a white throat and hardly a trace of any supercilium. 
(3) All that can be said of this race is that it is a fairly common passage 
migrant along with the other forms. Cheesman obtained one at Sheik Saad on 
March 27th when many Wagtails were on passage and two at Amara on April 
19th and 20th where, with Buxton, he found them abundant in young wheat. 
Venning obtained one at Sheik Saad on April 11th. All these are adult males 
quite easily recognized of course by the large amount of yellow on the head. 
Two obtained by Buxton at Amara on September 9thI attribute to this race, 
the chin and supercilium are yellow and the head brown tinged with yellow. 
(4) Apparently the typical form is rare ; I can only attribute to this race one 
obtained by Cheesman at Sheik Saad on April 3rd, yet this is the only form of 
Blue-headed Wagtail mentioned by Zarudny ! 
(5) I only include this to draw attention again to this remarkable form (if a 
good race it be and not a partial albinism). Pitman says that at Feluja on 
April 16th among the thousands of Yellow Wagtails present he saw two birds 
which corresponded exactly to the description of this bird, that is, a Blue-headed 
Wagtail in which white, or nearly white, replaces the blue of the head and ear- 
coverts. Unfortunately he did not obtain it. This race is so rare that one can- 
not help being suspicious that it is only a partial albinism of a commoner race. 
55. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba. 
(1) Motacilla alba alba, L. (Syst. Nat. Ed., x., p. 185, 1758—Sweden). 
(2) Motacilla alba dukhunensis, Sykes (P. Z. 8., London, 1832, p. 91— 
Deccan of India). 
(3) Motacila alba persica, Blanf. (E. Persia, ii, p. 232—Niriz, east 
of Shiraz). 
White Wagtails are abundant winter visitors to the whole of our area. The 
first arrive in the first days of October but it isnot until the latter half of the 
month that they become numerous, and then in suitable localities settle down 
singly or in quite small parties for the winter. Probably also it is a bird of 
passage as Pitman at Kut noted an increase early in March ; by the end of this 
month they have become quite scarce again but a few may be found well on into 
April and according to Cumming at Fao occasionally early in May. This species 
was a constant attendant at the trenches, attracted by the hosts of flies and 
was but little perturbed by gun fire. 
Races of course were not distinguished in the field but I think it can be safely 
said that the European race is the commonest; Witherby referred most S. 
W. Persian birds to alba as does Sassi 6 skins from Mosul. 
Eleven skins examined :—Alba, ¢, Amara, 12-12-17 ; Baghdad, 6-10-17; Q, 
Azizieh, 17-11-18 (P. A.B.) ; Shustar, 8-2-18; (F. M. B.) Sheik Saad, 26-3-17, 
© ,4-4-17, 5 ,10-2-17. (P. Z.C. and R. E. C.). Dukhunensis—Amara, 11-2-18 ; 
@. Baghdad 31-3-18, (P. A. B.) Sheikh Saad, 18-12-16 (P. Z. C.) and R. E. 
C.) ; Shustar n. d. (F. M. B.). 
