WAGTAILS AND BUNTINGS, 143 



known as Ray's wagtail, is known in China. Indeed there 

 are several more, but considerations of space prevent a 

 notice of them all. Ray's varies from all the rest in having 

 a delightful slaty-blue covering for the head lightened up 

 with a white eye-stripe. Its upper parts are a yellowish 

 green, whilst below there is pure yellow. 



This species differs from the rest in its nesting place 

 which is usually amongst tufts of grass in meadow land or 

 waste ground. The other wagtails usually prefer a hole 

 somewhere or other, in a wall, in a decayed tree, or anywhere 

 convenient. I have seen wagtails' nests in a bank near water, 

 or on the side of a hedgerow. They all lay about the same 

 sized egg, marked either with brown or reddish brown spots. 

 It is not an uncommon thing to find that the cuckoo has 

 deposited one of her eggs amongst the wagtail's. Then, of 

 course, woe to the wagtail brood ! They are shouldered out 

 by the still blind little murderer with a demoniac instinct 

 which secures its own maintenance at the expense of four 

 or five other lives. Seebohm tells of the early appearance 

 of the wagtails in Siberia where in the spring they are 

 amongst the first arrivals. In iVIarch, of this present year, 

 I watched the collection of a little band of them which had 

 all the appearance of being off on their northern journey. 

 They had collected on the roof of a building overlooking the 

 British Consular compound. Last month, I had the pleasure, 

 not of seeing an actual return, but of watching three new 

 arrivals, apparently two parent birds and a young one. 

 Paterfamilias was a little lame in the left leg. When he 

 remembered that fact he would stand pensive and rather 

 sad-looking with the weakened member tucked up under his 

 feathers. Then all of a sudden, if a fly showed itself on the 

 grass, down came the injured limb, and off went the bird in 

 hot chase utterly forgetful of injuries. Paterfamilias was, 

 except for the lameness, in the very pink of condition. 

 There was a good deal of difference between his plumage 

 and that of the other two. They stayed only for two or three 

 days, and then disappeared, probablj^ for winter quarters a 

 little farther south. 



The buntings, to which allusion has already been made 

 in an earlier chapter in connexion with their relatives, the 

 finches, claim a little further notice just now, because it is 

 not at all uncommon to see specimens of some of their species 

 whilst on their way south. Some buntings are with us 

 always. Others pay us flying visits in spring and autumn 

 on their way to and from their breeding places. I have had 

 an opportunity' of watching a pair within the past fortnight, 

 the male of which was nearly as yellow as our British 

 yellow-hammer. If one keeps still, these birds seem to care 



