150 BLACK-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



deprives them of their usual gentle character by declaring 

 that they are ^'^ far ouches et saiivages'' 



The same author tells , us 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 blades 

 of dry grass, small roots, and moss, lined inside with 

 fine grass or wool. They lay from four to six eggs. 



The adult in breeding plumage has the cheeks, top 

 of the head, nape, and upper tail feathers deep black; 

 back olive green, but not so dark as in the preceding 

 variety; a beautiful yellow, or, as Degland has well 

 expressed it, d'unheau jaune jonqidlle,\iQ\.o^sr; the crop 

 and part of the flanks more or less shaded with olive 

 green. Wing coverts olive green,- bordered with grey; 

 primaries and secondaries hair brown, the latter broadly 

 bordered with grey, outer tail feathers white, the inner 

 web black at basal half; beak, feet, and iris, brown. 



In the young, according to Degland, the upper parts 

 are olive grey, with the nape ashy and the head 

 blackish, darker in front, and above the eyes and ears; 

 yellowish below, with the throat whitish. 



M. Feldeggri is a transitional variety between this 

 and the last noticed. 



My figures of the bird and its e^^ are taken from 

 specimens kindly sent me by the Eev. H. B. Tristram. 



It is also figured by Bonaparte, in Fauna Italica, 

 pi. 31, fig. 2; Gould, B. of E.; Euppel, Atlas Reise 

 Afric, pi. 33; Dubois, Oiseaux de la Belgique, pt. 48, 

 pi. 94, male and female. 



