BLACK-HEADED WAGTAIL. 95 



Lower parts often only washed with ochre — not often yellow. The 

 old females are sometimes as yellow as those of jlava, and then their 

 head is a sort of dull black, but very different from the intense black 

 of the male. The majority of the females, however, have the head a 

 dark brown grey. The superciliary not always present, but when so 

 it is of a dull brownish white or a very pale brown. M. Rayi you 

 know well enough. It has no grey and no white anywhere; super- 

 ciliars always yellow, with greenish tinge. It is a purely western 

 bird, and Swinhoe was mistaken when he said it occurred in China. 

 His 'Tarbanus' must be either 31. citreola ? or 31. calcaratus, or more 

 probably 31. cinereo-cephala." 



In confirmation of Mr. Brooks' views, which are very clear and 

 definite, I introduce 31. melanocephala into this edition as a distinct 

 species, and figure Mr. Brooks' male bird. 31. cinereo-cephala having 

 been introduced by Gould into the British list, ceases to have a claim 

 upon me. I however on the plate give the heads of 31. Jlava and 

 31. cinereo-cephala from Mr. Brooks' specimens. 



The Black-headed Wagtail occurs in Algeria, Egypt, Nubia, Arabia, 

 Syria, Persia, and India. It occurs also in Dalmatia, Sicily, and the 

 Caucasus. Is accidental in Germany, France, and Belgium. Rare in 

 Italy. It was taken by W. H. Simpson, Esq., at Missolonghi, in Greece, 

 June, 1859. 



It its habits it is like others of its very marked and distinctive 

 family. It is fond of pastures, plains, and marshes, and, according to 

 Dubois, it is constantly on the ground, but that it is also found 

 perching on the branches of bushes and on the stems of willows and 

 osiers. They are very lively in their movements, but the same author 

 also says they are "f avouches el sauvages.''' The same author tells us 

 that they feed on flies, gnats, moths, and beetles, both in the perfect 

 and larva state; that they nest on the ground or in a bush on the 

 borders of fields and plains. The nest is made of dry grass, small 

 roots, and moss, lined inside with fine grass or wool. They lay from 

 four to six eggs. 



Mr. Simpson, in the article above quoted, (Ibis, vol. ii., p. 393,) 

 has some very interesting remarks about this bird, and as they support 

 this view of its specific distinctness, I quote the following: — 



"Before taking leave of the lagoon in its summer aspect, there is 

 one more bird well worthy of our attention, though it may seem 

 somewhat out of place at the end of the list. Let the egg-seeker land 

 on any islet, mud-bank, or sandy spit not destitute of vegetation, and 

 who so ready to herald his approach, watch his proceedings, and 

 chirp defiance at him from the top of a hillock, as the vivacious 



