144 GREY WAGTAIL. 



of water than the Pied Wagtail, and is seldom met 

 with away from the banks of streams and lakes. In 

 its habits it much resembles the other Wagtails — the 

 same light, dainty step and flirting of the tail up and 

 down, as it runs about snatching at the passing in- 

 sects. It is a peculiarly graceful and pretty bird. 

 Seebohm says of it : "In spite of its name, the 

 delicate brilliancy of its plumage entitles it to be con- 

 sidered one of our most elegant native birds. All its 

 movements correspond ; nothing can be more graceful 

 than the way in which it will run along the margin of 

 a still pool, leaving the impression of its delicate feet 

 on the sand, or daintily flit from stone to stone in the 

 running stream." 



Grey tinged with green is the prevailing colour of 

 the upper parts, and by this and its longer tail it may 

 easily be distinguished from the other Wagtails. It 

 has a black chin and throat, edged with white, and a 

 yellow breast, which becomes grey in the winter. 



The nest of the Grey Wagtail is most commonly 

 placed upon the ground beneath some projecting rock, 

 and close to the water ; but it has also been found in 

 most of the sites chosen by the Pied Wagtail, the nest 

 of which it resembles. It is made of fine roots and 

 grass and lined with hair. 



The eggs, which are laid towards the end of April 

 or the beginning of May, are of a creamy or greyish 

 ground colour, mottled with light brown and some- 

 times with a few streaks of a darker brown. 



The Grey Wagtail will live in confinement, and is 

 not difficult to tame, which may be said of all the 

 Wagtails. 



