THE SINGING BIRDS. 291 



THE YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL. 



The Yellow-headed Wagtail (Budytcs citreolus), a native of Central Asia, is somewhat larger 

 than the species above described. Its length is seven inches, its breadth ten and a half, the wing 

 measures three inches and a half, and the tail three inches and one-third. The summer plumage of 

 the male is of a bright citron-yellow on the head and entire under side ; the nape and upper portion 

 of the back are black, the centre of the back slate-grey, and the rump brownish black. The small 

 feathers on the wing-covers are greyish brown, broadly edged with dark grey, the centre and large 

 feathers are margined with broad white borders, which alone are visible ; the primaries and lower 

 secondaries have narrow white edges, and the upper secondaries a broad white border to the outer 

 web ; the eight central tail-feathers are brownish black, and those at the exterior almost entirely white. 

 The eye is brown, the beak and feet black. The female, who is not so large as her mate, is yellow 

 on the brow, and greyish green on the top of the head and nape ; the back is dark grey, the rump 

 deep slate-colour ; the cheeks and under side are of paler yellow than in the male, and the white lines 

 on the wings narrower and more clearly defined. The young are grey above, and white shaded with 

 yellow on the under side. Radde informs us that some few of these birds are met with in the central 

 parts of Western Siberia, and that further east they become very numerous. According to Jerdon 

 they are found throughout India during the winter, and there, as elsewhere, frequent marsh-land or 

 the immediate vicinity of water. 



"This species," says Jerdon, "is remarkable for the great length of the hind claw. It is found 

 all over India in the cold weather, being migratory, and probably breeding in North-eastern Europe 

 and Northern Asia. It is not very abundant, and is never found in dry places, like the Indian Field 

 Wagtail, but on the banks of lakes or rivers, and more particularly in swampy ground or in inundated 

 rice-fields, apparently affecting concealment more than others of this group. It has been obtained in 

 breeding plumage at Mussooree, and is then a very beautiful bird.'' 



THE GOMARITA, OR GARDEN WAGTAIL. 



The Gomarita, or Garden Wagtail {Nemoricola Iiidicd), has been separated from the bird 

 above described on account of the shortness of the claw on the hinder toe, and the peculiar 

 coloration of its plumage. The upper part of the body is greenish brown, the under side yellowish 

 white ; a double band of black passes over the breast, and a white stripe above the eye ; the blackish 

 wings are decorated with two white lines, and a third stripe passes across the base of the primary 

 quills ; the centre tail-feather is brown, the next in succession are blackish, and those at the exterior 

 white, but blackish at. the root, and edged with brown on the outer web. The eye is brown, the 

 upper mandible pale black, the lower mandible whitish ; the foot is light yellow, shaded with 

 purplish brown. This bird is six inches and a half long, and ten broad ; the wing measures three 

 inches and one-eighth, and the tail two inches and five-eighths. 



The Garden Wagtails are found throughout India, Ceylon, China, and Japan ; according to 

 Jerdon they are comparatively rarely seen in Southern and Central India, but are very numerous on 

 some of the surrounding islands. Everywhere they frequent woods, forests, shady gardens, and 

 plantations, living in solitude except during the breeding season, after which they remain for some 

 time assembled in small parties or families. These birds do not migrate, and they moult their feathers 

 but once in the year. Layard tells us that the Gomarita, or " Dung Spreader," as this species is called 

 in Ceylon, receives its name from its habit of seeking for insects in the droppings from the cattle. 



" The Black-breasted Wagtail," writes Jerdon, " is found throughout the whole peninsula of 

 India and Ceylon, but is common nowhere ; it is indeed rare in the southern provinces and in the 



