254 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



snatching at an incautious may-fly, sometimes wading into 

 the water after a caddis- worm or a stray grub, nor is it quite 

 safe for a minnow to come too near the surface and then 

 flying off to another spot to repeat the same manoeuvres. This 

 bird also greatly frequents pastures, and may be seen running 

 about among the cows in the most nonchalant manner ima- 

 ginable, catching the flies that torment those animals in the 

 summer, or flying off to its unfinished nest with a beak full 

 of hairs. Their nests are built near the water, in crevices 

 among stones, or in the hole of a wall. Frequently when 

 stones are piled by a wet quarry, several nests may be found 

 in one heap of stones. The eggs are four or five in number, 

 of a dusky white colour, spotted with ashy brown. The length 

 of the bird is seven inches and a half. 



MOTACILLA. 



Flava (Lat. yellow], Yellow Wagtail. 



The YELLOW WAGTAIL is very similar in habits to the more 

 common Pied Wagtail, but the yellow tints of some of its 

 feathers, somewhat resembling those of the Yellow Hammer, at 



once distinguish it. 



