PASSEEES. ( 111 ) MOTACILLlDAi. 



THE GEEY WAGTAIL. 



WINTER WAGTAIL, YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla sulphurea. 

 "ZIT^e gellotD ^afftaiL 



From mossy marsh afid moorland scene, 

 Swift flows the Eye the hills between ; 

 By Quixwood old, a?id Butterdean, 

 It passes murmitriiig sweet. 



Dr. Henderson. 



The favourite haunts of the Grey Wagtail during the 

 spring and summer months are the sides of our beautiful 

 streams and burns, such as the Whitadder, Blackadder, 

 Leader, Eye, Dye, Ale, Pease Burn, Dowlaw Burn, Blyth 

 Water, and others, especially where their courses are rocky 

 and gravelly. There it may be seen flitting from stone to 

 stone, displaying its graceful form, or taking short hurried 

 runs along the gravel in pursuit of the insects upon which 

 it feeds. It is not very numerous, but a pair may be 

 generally observed in the course of an hour's ramble along 

 any of our river or burn sides, especially in wild and 

 unfrequented districts, which the bird seems to prefer. A 

 pair frequent the rocky burn which flows through the Old 

 Heronry Wood at Paxton every year. 



This species is a partial migrant in Berwickshire, most 

 of those which breed here departing southwards in autumn, 

 and only a few remaining with us during mild winters. 



