94 BLACK-HEADED WAGTAIL. 



twice shot 31. Jlateola in its passage in the Bay of Algiers. At Tunis, 

 and further east, I have only found 31. Jlava and 31. cinereo-capilla. 

 At Pyles (Navarino,) I got 31. melanocephala, which is also very 

 common at Athens, where I saw no other. In Palestine I got 31. 

 melanocephala only, but I saw at Jerusalem, in Dr. Potte's room, a 

 skin of M. Jlava. Thus it appears to me that the varieties glide into 

 one another, the black on the head increasing in intensity as we go 

 eastwards." 



These are very interesting remarks, and clearly lean towards the 

 very strong inference that these birds have a common origin. Count 

 Miihle has taken the opposite view, and gives the following as his 

 reasons. He says in the first place, that in Greece the plumage of 

 31. Jlava is the same as with us, that it never mixes with melanocephala, 

 and that while the former is found in the districts of Lavadien, Malo, 

 and Lamia, the latter occurs in the Morea ; and that where 31. Jlava 

 is found, there also shall we meet with 31. alba, but never 31. melano- 

 cephala. He further remarks that 31. melanocephala goes away early 

 with 31erops apiaster and Emberiza ccesia, while 31. Jlava may be 

 found in winter, and that among hundreds of specimens of 31. melano- 

 cephala which he had seen, none were in a transition state. 



M. Dubois endorses Count Miihle's views, and gives figures and 

 descriptions of the birds. Still more strongly does Mr. E. Brooks, C.E., 

 of India, insist upon the specific distinction of the three Yellow Wagtails, 

 31. Jlava, 31. cinereo-cephala, and 31. melanocephala — the present bird. 

 He writes to me, "I send you one of each of the three Budytes. 

 They are three very distinct species. I will give you a characteristic 

 of each, which I think is infallible. 31. Jlava — Ear coverts as pale as 

 the top of the head, generally streaked with white. 31. cinereo-cephala 

 — Nearly black ear coverts, the head being lead-grey. 31. ?nelano- 

 cephala — Ear coverts and head totally black, saving chin and throat. 

 I should say I have had lots of young grey and white birds of each, 

 and have noticed that they change direct into Jlava, cinereo-cephala, 

 and melanocephala, as the case may be. The females of each are as 

 notably different, but it would take too long to describe them fully. 

 Briefly they are to be noticed as follows: — 



31. Java $ . — Head broad, ruddy white eyebrows, head not pure 

 lavender grey like the male, colours duller. 



31. cinereo-cephala ? . — Strongly distinguished from the other two 

 females by its great brilliancy, almost approaching that of the male. 

 Superciliar not always present; when so it is narrow, and of a dull 

 paler ochre — not ruddy white like Jlava. 



31. melanocephala ? . — A variable bird, as dull as the male is bright. 



