The YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL (_Budytes citreolus_), a native of Central
Asia, is somewhat larger than the species above described. Its length is
seven inches, its breadth ten and a half, the wing measures three inches
and a half, and the tail three inches and one-third. The summer plumage
of the male is of a bright citron-yellow on the head and entire under
side; the nape and upper portion of the back are black, the centre of the
back slate-grey, and the rump brownish black. The small feathers on the
wing-covers are greyish brown, broadly edged with dark grey, the centre
and large feathers are margined with broad white borders, which alone are
visible; the primaries and lower secondaries have narrow white edges,
and the upper secondaries a broad white border to the outer web; the
eight central tail-feathers are brownish black, and those at the exterior
almost entirely white. The eye is brown, the beak and feet black. The
female, who is not so large as her mate, is yellow on the brow, and
greyish green on the top of the head and nape; the back is dark grey, the
rump deep slate-colour; the cheeks and under side are of paler yellow
than in the male, and the white lines on the wings narrower and more
clearly defined. The young are grey above, and white shaded with yellow
on the under side. Radde informs us that some few of these birds are met
with in the central parts of Western Siberia, and that further east they
become very numerous. According to Jerdon they are found throughout India
during the winter, and there, as elsewhere, frequent marsh-land or the
immediate vicinity of water.
"This species," says Jerdon, "is remarkable for the great length of
the hind claw. It is found all over India in the cold weather, being
migratory, and probably breeding in North-eastern Europe and Northern
Asia. It is not very abundant, and is never found in dry places, like
the Indian Field Wagtail, but on the banks of lakes or rivers, and more
particularly in swampy ground or in inundated rice-fields, apparently
affecting concealment more than others of this group. It has been
obtained in breeding plumage at Mussooree, and is then a very beautiful
bird."