MOTACII.I.ID.-K. 



119 



THE BLUK-HEADED WAGTAIL 



MOTACILLA FLAVA, Linnfcus. 



In 1832 it was i)ointed out by Gould that the Blue-headed Wag- 

 tail of the Continent was distinct from the Yellow Wagtail, which is 

 a regular visitor to our islands ; and two years later Uoubleday shot 

 an example of the former at Walton-on-the-Naze. Since that date 

 a considerable number have been obtained or observed ; mostly in 

 the south-western, southern, and eastern counties of England ; while 

 the bird has undoubtedly nested on several occasions near Gateshead 

 in Durham, as certified by Mr. John Hancock. As a rule, however, 

 the Blue-headed Wagtail can hardly be considered as more than 

 an irregular — though perhaps overlooked — visitor on migration ; 

 generally in spring, but not unfrequently in autumn. In Scotland it 

 has been shot near Edinburgh and Dunbar ; and Saxby states that he 

 obtained it on migration in Shetland. Mr. Blake-Knox has asserted 

 that it occurs in Ireland, but Mr. More excludes it from his list. 



The Blue-headed Wagtail has straggled to the Ea^roes ; and I 

 have examined a specimen in the British Museimi obtained by 

 Gould in summer as far north in Norway as the Dovre Fjeld. 

 Southward, it is found throughout Europe ; breeding in the west 

 down to the shores of the Mediterranean, where it is partially resi- 

 dent, and pushing its migrations in winter to the south of Africa. 

 Eastward, it is found across Asia to the Pacific ; and also in Alaska, 

 wheie it breeds up to 64° N. lat. This Wagtail runs to varieties 

 which are, in the opinion of some ornithologists, entitled to take rank 

 as species ; but upon this intricate question I must refer my readers 



