TJieir Eggs ayid Nests. 99 



GREY '^ kQ^k\h—{MotaciUa suhJmrea; formerly, 

 M. boarula). 



Less plentiful than the Pied Wagtail, equally ele- 

 gant and more beautiful, this little bird resembles the 

 other in its ways and habits. Its nest is placed on 

 the ground at no great distance from water, which has 

 many attractions for it, as well as for the common 

 "Nanny Washtail." The materials and general 

 structure are, in the main, the same as in the last case; 

 feathers and wool being introduced as a lining. There 

 are often five or six eggs in it, of a faint white ground- 

 colour, mottled and streaked with very light brown, a 

 few streaks being sometimes of a darker tint. — Fig, 20, 

 plate III. 



BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL— (y]/^to///^ flava ; 

 formerly, M. 7ieglecta). 



Called Grey-headed Wagtail in the earlier editions 

 of Yarrell. Met with but a iaw times in all in 

 Britain. 



YELLOW \NA.011ML—{Motacina Rail ; formerly, 

 M. flavd). 



Ray's Wagtail, Cow-bird. — A summer visitor, and, 

 of course, making its nest with us. It builds on the 

 ground, in cornfields or fallows ; sometimes on a stump 

 of a tree level with the ground, or on a bank of earth 

 overhanging water, or in a hole in a wall in the same 

 vicinity. The said nest is made of moss, roots, dry 

 grass, and lined with the same, only finer, and a little 

 hair. Four to six eggs are laid, which, Mr. Yarrell 

 says, "are not unlike those of the Sedge Warbler, 



