1847.] New or Little Known Species of Birds. 431 



dress, the male has the whole head bright yellowish, very yellow in 

 some towards the forehead, and there is constantly a bright yellow 

 supercilium. In B. Jlava, (Lin.), v. neglecta, Gould, the common 

 species of northern Europe, the head is of a dull ash-colour, with — it 

 is said invariably* — a white supercilium ; though this is so little de- 

 veloped in one of two Norwegian specimens before me, that I cannot 

 but question its alleged permanency. In the Indian B. bistrigata, 

 again, (which Mr. Strickland identifies with cinereocapilla of southern 

 Europe,) the fully mature male in breeding plumage has the head and 

 nape fine dark ashy, with no trace of supercilium ; the ear-coverts 

 darker; and throat (or rather chin) white, spreading laterally to contrast 

 with the dark ear-coverts : a specimen so coloured is mentioned in 

 Mr. Jerdon's notice of his B. melanocephala, and supposed by him to 

 be probably the female of that bird ; but younger specimens exhibit 

 a white supercilium in every degree of development, and many of these 

 certainly cannot be distinguished from the European Jlava ; which, 

 after all, I suspect will prove to be the very same. Indeed, the note 

 would seem to be quite similar, being, in both, weaker and less articu- 

 late than in B. Raii ; and it is more common to see these birds about 

 watery places than is the case with the British species.f But what- 

 ever its true name, the subject of the present notice is one of the com- 

 monest of Bengal birds, frequenting the open country in straggling 

 flocks during the cold season, and disappearing as they assume the 

 nuptial dress. On the Calcutta maidan, where a large herd of cattle 

 are generally grazing, regardless of the hottest sun (which is a remark- 

 able trait of Bos indicus), each one will commonly have its attendant 

 Budytes keeping to the shadow of the beast's foot, watching for the 

 insects which it rouses from the grass at every step. 



Anthus, Bechstein : comprising Corydalla, Vigors, and Agrodoma, 

 Swainson. If any subdivisions could be admitted in this natural (and 

 very difficult) group, the Tree Pipits would appear to have the best 

 claim to be separated from the rest : the form to which the names 

 Corydalla and Agrodoma have been applied, serving to connect the 



* " The #rey-headed birds without a white supercilium are never found in the north 

 of Europe." Strickland, Ann. Mag. N. H., 1844, note to p. 115. 



t The plumage of the females of B.bistrigata is very much yellower, and more ap- 

 proaching that of the males, than in B. Rail. 



