WAGTAILS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 205 



GENUS II. MOTACILLA. WAGTAIL. 



Bill of moderate length, slender, straight, a little broader 

 than high at the base, compressed towards the end, its upper 

 outline slightly declinate at the base, then straight, and at the 

 end very slightly declinato-arcuate ; the tip acute, with an ob- 

 scure notch ; toes rather short, moderately compressed ; hind 

 claw of moderate length, stout, compressed, much arched ; 

 wings long, broad, the first primary wanting, the next three 

 longest, one of the inner secondaries as long ; tail very long, 

 straight, slender, rounded at the end. 



1. Motacilla alba. Grey-and-white Wagtail. ]\fale in win- 

 ter with the upper parts light grey, the head, nape, and upper 

 tail-coverts black ; the forehead, sides of the head, throat, 

 lower parts, and two bands on the wing, white ; a black crescent 

 on the fore-neck. Female similar, but with the black less ex- 

 tended on the nape, and the crescent on the fore-neck grey. 

 Male in summer with the whole fore-neck glossy black. Fe- 

 male similar, with the fore-neck greyish black. Young grey 

 above, greyish-white beneath, the fore-neck mottled with grey. 



2. Motacilla YarrelU. Pied Wagtail. Male in winter with 

 the upper parts and a crescent on the fore- neck, black, the 

 middle of the back greyish ; the forehead, sides of the head, 

 throat, lower parts, and two bands on the wing, white. Female 

 similar, with more grey on the back. Male in summer with 

 the whole fore-neck and back glossy black. Female similar, 

 with the black less deep, and more grey on the back. Young 

 grey above, greyish-white beneath, the fore-neck mottled with 

 dusky. 



8. Motacilla Boarula. Grey-and-yellow Wagtail. Male in 

 winter with the head and back bluish-grey tinged with green, 

 the rump greenish-yellow, the throat greyish-white, the lower 

 parts bright yellow. Female similar, but somewhat paler. 

 Male in summer with a black patch on the throat, laterally 

 edged with white bands. Female similar, but paler, with the 

 throat greyish-black. Young like the female, with a dusky 

 crescent on the fore-neck. 



