MOTACILLID^ — THE WAGTAILS. 169 



where it nests on the ground in the cornfields, in open fields, meadows, and 

 amidst the standing grain. It lays from four to six eggs, of a brownish-yel- 

 low on a reddish-white ground, profusely covered with fine dots of reddish- 

 gray, whicli are more or less confluent. A few zigzag lines of dark Ijrown 

 or black are found on the larger end. They measure .63 of an inch in length 

 and .55 in breadth. Its food is Hies, moths, small green caterpillars, and 

 aquatic insects. 



Ray's Wagtail, recognized liy some authors as a distinct species, is prol)a- 

 bly only an insular race, chieHy found in the British Islands and in Western 

 France. In the latter place both birds occur, and here also they have been 

 known to mate the one with the other. Their nests and eggs are so alike 

 as not to be distinguishable. The former are constructed of fine fibrous 

 roots and fine stems of grasses, and are lined with hair. 



These birds are remarkably social, collecting in small flocks soon after 

 leaving their nests, and until their autumnal migrations following the older 

 birds in quest of food. They have two call-notes which are quite shrill, and 

 are repeated in succession, the second being lower in tone. No mention is 

 made by the naturalists of the Telegraph Expedition of their having any song 

 other than these notes. 



Mr. Baimister first observed this species at St. Michael's, on the 9th or lOth 

 of June, and from that time until late in August they were among the most 

 abundant of the land-birds. During the month of June he observed them 

 in flocks of twenty or thirty individuals. It seemed to be a rather shy l)ird. 

 He described its flight as like that of our common Goldfinch, rising with a 

 few strokes of its wings, then closing them and describing a sort of parabo- 

 loidal curve in the air. The only note which he heard and identified as 

 uttered by this species was a kind of faint chirp, hardly to be called a song. 

 These birds seemed to prefer the open country, and were rarely olxserved in 

 the low brush, the only approach to woods found on the island. 



Subfamily ANTHIN^. 



The characters of this subfamily have already been detailed. The Ameri- 

 can sections may be defined as follows, although whether entitled to rank as 

 genera may be questioned : — 



Common Characters. Tail decidedly shorter than the wings; less than half the 

 whole length of bird ; simply emarginate and rounded. Hind claw lengthened ; 

 only slightly curved. Feathers of back with paler edges ; breast streaked with 

 dusky. Nest on the ground ; eggs finely mottled so as almost to be uniform dark 

 brown (in North American species). 



a. Wings much potNted, (uul levgiheved. 

 Point of wing formed by four outer primaries, of which the fourth some- 

 times a little shorter than the third. Hind toe and claw as long as middle, 

 shorter than tarsus, the claw alone usually a little longer than the toe itselt", 

 22 



