1872.] W. T. Blanford— Zoology of SiJchim. 59 



Motacillidce. 

 Motacilla Hodgsoni, Gr. R. Gray, Ibis, 1865, p. 49. — ? M. lugubris 

 Pall. ? A[. Cashmiriensis, Brooks. 



I am. rather surprised to find that all the Motacillce shot in Up- 

 per Sikkim are of a species distinct from any found in the plains of 

 India. I can scarcely have any doubt but that they belong to JK. 

 Sodgsoni of Gray, although it is probable that skins upon which that 

 species was founded represent the winter, or at least the autumn plumage. 

 I have two specimens agreeing well with Mr. Blyth's very brief account in 

 the Ibis, having very little of the throat white and a distinct black line from 

 the gape below the eye, but from the appearance of the chin and from 

 another specimen in which the change to winter plumage has not proceeded 

 so far, it is evident that in full summer garb the whole throat and chin are 

 black, just as in personata, from which this form is chiefly distinguished 

 by its black back in the breeding season, and its rather longer bill. I will 

 give a somewhat more complete description of the summer and winter 

 plumage of this bird. 



Summer. — Forehead and forepart of crown and superciliary stripe, a 

 large wing patch formed of the secondary, greater and medium coverts, 

 narrow edges and tips to the primary quills and broad ones to the seconda- 

 ries, two outer tail feathers, frequently but not always with the exception of 

 the inner edges of the inner of the two or of both, and lower parts from 

 the breast white, the rest of the plumage black. Perhaps the extreme chin 

 and a narrow stripe running back from each side of the base of the lower 

 mandible may remain white, but I suspect not. 



In winter plumage, the bird appears scarcely to differ from Ml. Luzonien- 

 sis. In a specimen shot on October 4th, there is still a broader gorget on the 

 breast than in that species, but otherwise there is no difference. The whole 

 face is white, the moustachial stripe having vanished. The back is grey, 

 hinder part of crown and nape black, wings and tail feathers as in summer 

 plumage, except that the wing patch is not quite so pure a white. The 

 flanks are greyish. It is possible that this may be an example of M. 

 Luzoniemis, but I think not. All these species of wagtail are nearly 

 undistinguishable in winter dress. 



The intermediate plumage, which I suppose to be that on which the 

 species was founded, has the face white, except a line from the gape below 

 the eye, and including the ear coverts. The dimensions are 



Tarsus. Bill from forehead. Bill from gape, 

 1 0-57 0*72 



096 0*52 0-72 



0-9 0-53 0-7 



0-97 0-5 07 



Wing. 



Tail. 



1 3-7 



3-65 



2 3-7 



3'5 



3 345 



3-45 



4 winter plumage 3 7 



3-7 



