1086 /0?7i2iV^.4Z, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, fol. XXV III. 
{i) Motacilla feldegg melanogriseus {=feldegg F.B.I.) 
Feldegg is the western form of the Black-headed Wagtail, melanogriseus 
is the eastern. Dr. Hartert (Vog. Pal. F. 296) says this race breeds in Tur- 
kestan and winters in India and may be distinguished at first glance from 
feldegg by the white chin and moustachial streak, shorter wing and some slight 
differences in the colour tone of the upper and under parts. I have examined 
15 adult males in spring and find the following results : 
White chin present in 6, absent in 3, a trace in 6. 
Moustachial streak in 3, absent in 4, a trace in 8. 
Both characters are fully present in only 3 of these, entirely absent in 2, the 
rest have one character and a trace of the other. Now out of 24 Egyptian adult 
males 3 exhibit these characters of melanogriseus and 3 more partly so, so either 
both races occur in India and in Egypt, or these characters are variable ; I 
incline to the latter view. 
15 adult males melanogriseus measure wings (78,) 79‘5-84‘5 (85‘5) mm. 
24 adult males feldegg measure wings (82,) 83-87 mm. 
so that melanogriseus is on the average a smaller bird ; its wings measure 
mostly 80-83 whereas feldegg measure mostly 83-86 ; also I think that usually 
the tail is also shorter (mostly 68-72 mm.). Taking all these points I think that 
a sufficient percentage of specimens could be picked out to warrant recognition 
of the two races. 
Summer plumage. 
The jet black head of the male suffices to distinguish it from any other Indian 
Wagtail ; the female has the upper-parts brownish grey lightly tinted with 
olive green, the head darker usually mth some black feathers in it or, and 
these are probably older birds, the whole crown blackish, the ear-coverts and 
lores like the head ; a lew light feathers behind the eye is the only trace of 
a supercihum ; under-parts white tinge with yellow, most pronounced on the 
belly and under-tail coverts and often dark spots occur in the pectoral region. 
From female of thunhergi, the black on the head, the less richly yellow under- 
parts and usually less developed supercilia help to distinguish it, though some 
birds (? first summer) of each may be difficult. From female of beema easily 
distinguishable even in the field by darker ear-coverts and absence of a clear 
white supercilium, besides being less olive green on the upper-parts. 
Winter plumage. 
In the adult male the olive green back is not so bright as in summer, the 
under-parts a less pure bright yellow ; often some dark spots on the pectoral 
region. Whole head is now dark slate, tinged with oUve in fresh feather, with 
always a certain but variable amount of black feathers admixed, especially at 
base of biU, forehead, lores, and round eye ; no supercilium. Ear-coverts dark 
slate or brown, with odd light feathers. Easily distinguishable from all other 
Wagtails except adult thunbergi (=borealis) in the field; in the hand the 
black feathers on the head distinguish it from the latter. 
The adult female resembles the spring bird ; it is rather less bright in general 
coloration and has no black on the head, this part being greyer ; it is very similar 
to female thunbergi but is usually less richly yellow underneath and the super- 
cilia are not so well developed ; the same differences between this bird and female 
beema in spring also apply in winter plumage. 
Females are smaller than males: wing 75-77 ‘5, once 79; tail 64-72 mm. 
In the first winter {i.e. birds of the year) both sexes lack aU yellow and green 
tones in the plumage ; this at once distinguishes them from any citreola and 
beema. The upper-parts including the head and ear-coverts are brownish grey 
or dark slatey grey, somewhat variable, darkest on the rump and the upper- 
tail coverts, which in males are blackish (and this is the only difference between 
the sexes that I can see) ; a well marked whitish or huffish white supercilium 
from base of bill to well behind the eye, but not coalescing with that of the 
