NOTES ON INDIAN WAGTAILS. 
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opposite side over the base of the bill as in young female calcarata ; under-parts 
sullied white, often a huffish wash and a few dark spots on the pectoral region. 
I have already drawn attention to the similarity in this dress to that of female 
calcarata in the first winter plumage. 
The above description is taken from specimens which were collected in an 
area where thunbergi does not occur and checked by specimens moulting into 
summer plumage and so is undoubtably correct {rf. F.B.I. ii. p. 297). 
Spring Moult. Involves the whole of the body feathers, the inner three 
secondaries (=tertials) all, or all except the outer two or three, of the greater 
coverts, aU the median, all or part of the lesser coverts ; the central tail always, 
often the whole tail, but odd feathers may not be renewed. Moults in 
February ; by early in March males are in full plumage ; females about a 
fortnight later. 
{ii) Motacilla flava heema : Summer plumage. 
The wmZes cannot be confounded with any other Indian Wagtail. The pale 
french-grey head, large white supercilia; white chin and moustachial streak and 
pale grey ear-coverts mixed with white suffice to distinguish it in the hand 
as well as in the field. The females are also distinctive ; Avhole of the upper- 
parts brown with a strong olive green wash except on the head ; supercilia 
pronounced and white ; ear-coverts hke head but mixed with white ; chin and 
throat yellowish white with a buff tinge ; rest of under-parts pale yellow, much 
less rich than in the male. Distinguished from female thunbergi by the paler 
ear-coverts and lores and by the clear white supercilia. 
Winter plumage. 
The adult males are a dull edition of the spring birds ; the under-parts less 
rich yellow, dark spots in the pectoral region may be present, and the grey on 
the head is partially masked by an olive-green wash to the tips of the feathers. 
From melanogriseus and thunbergi by the clear white supercilia and paler grey 
crown, etc. The adult females resemble very much the spring females and are 
distinguished by the same characters from the other female Wagtails. 
In first winter plumage the sexes are not with certainty distinguishable. They 
are much like the adult female but usually less yellow on the under-parts. 
From young melanogriseus by the yellower belly and under-tail coverts and a 
certain, though variable, amount of olivaceous green on the upper-parts. 
Spring moult as in melanogriseus. 
{Hi) Motacilla flava thunbergi {=borealis F.B.I.) Summer plumage. 
The male is easily distinguishable by the dark slate grey head, absence 
of any supercilium (an old white feather or two behind the eye is oc- 
casionally present) and dark ear-coverts. The upper-parts vary somewhat ; 
some specimens are dull olive green, others bright olive green, these latter also 
being brighter yellow underneath. This may be a question of age, and I think 
it is very likely, or it may be an individual variation. I am satisfied that it is 
not a geographical variation as both forms breed in the same district (Yenesay 
River). 
The female exhibits two types differing from each other in the intensity of 
the yellow of the imder parts. This is probably due to age (as with the Yellow- 
headed Wagtails), those which are brighter yellow being adults and those 
which are duller being birds of the first summer. The head and upper-parts 
are dark olive brown, greenish olive on the rump, dark ear-coverts and lores, 
a weakly-marked whitish supercilium is present ; the pectoral region with or 
without spots. 
Winter plumage. 
The adult male resembles the spring male but the slatey-blue head is more 
or less marked by ohve edges to tips of the feathers, the under-parts are less 
bright yellow and the mantle is more olive-brown, not so olive-green. 
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