616 LIMONIDROMUS IXDICUS. 



continue its busy chase after the teeming insects of the tropical jungle. He who can then deprive it of its 

 happy existence must have a hard heart indeed ! It runs with considerable speed, and darts at its pi - ey as 

 other Wagtails. It sways its body from side to side, thus giviug its tail a horizontal motion instead of a 

 vertical, as in other Wagtails. 



It is said to be much like the Asiatic Tree-Pipits (Pipastes) in its habits ; these I have not had the pleasure 

 of seeing in their native haunts, and I cannot therefore venture on an opinion touching its affinities in that 

 direction. It would appear to approach these birds in habits about as much as Budytes does the Titlarks 

 Anthus). Its bill, feet, wings, and graceful form, and its gait and deportment are essentially those of a 

 Wagtail. It certainly displays an abnormal character in the black chest-bands; but we see this developed 

 to a small extent in the young of Budytes, and its wings-markings arc those of this genus exaggerated. 



It may often be seen under tamarind- and banyan-trees in the Sinhalese jungle hamlets; and here it 

 was, I conclude, that Layard noticed it scratching among cattle-ordure, for in its accustomed sylvan haunts 

 it lias no opportunity of doing this. Mr. Davison thus writes of its habits in Tenasserim : — " It is generally 

 met with in forest-covered ground in small parties, in pairs, or even singly, walking about under the trees 

 and bushes and hunting for insects. Its habits are very similar to those of the Pipits, Pipastes maculatus, &c. 

 When disturbed they fly up into the surrounding trees, uttering a sharp Pipit-like note ; and there they sit, 

 walk along the branches, or fly from one to the other, shaking their tails all the while. They soon redescend 

 again to the ground when every thing is quiet. This bird combines in its habits something both of the Pipits 

 and Wagtails. Like the former they are found in shady places, walking about in a demure way, uttering 

 now and then a sharp single note ; but, like the latter, they usually seize their prey with short sharp dashes, 

 and when disturbed do not generally rise at once, but run on in front of one, taking short runs, stopping 

 every few feet, and shaking their tails violently the while; but, again, when they do rise they, Pipit-like, fly 

 up into the trees.'" 



Subgenus BUDYTES. 

 Differs from MotaciUa in its longer tarsus, larger feet, and long hind claw. 

 Mostly of non-aquatic habits. 



