166 

 THE WHITE WAGTAIL. 



MOTACILLA ALBA. 



Summer — head, breast, wings and tail variegated with black and white ; chin, 

 throat, and neck black ; back and scapulars pearl-grey ; side of the neck as 

 low as the wings white. Winter — chin, throat and neck white, with an 

 isolated black gorget. Length nearly seven inches and a half. Eggs bluish 

 white,' speckled with black. 



The Wagtail called Motacilla alba by British orni- 

 thologists previously to Gould and Yarrell, has been 

 already described under the name of 31. Yarrellii. The 

 former name is now applied exclusively to a continental 

 species, only a few specimens of which have been observed 

 in this country, though it is far from improbable that it 

 may visit us much more frequently than is supposed, as 

 the two birds are precisely similar in habits and size, 

 while there is no striking difference in the general tone 

 of colour in the plumage. The White Wagtail is considered 

 to be only a summer visitor with us ; but many of the 

 other species remain in Britain all the year. 



THE GREY WAGTAIL. 



MOTACILLA BOARULA. 



Slimmer — head and back bluish grey ; a pale streak above the eyes ; throat 

 black ; iinder parts bright yellow ; tail very long. Winter — chin and throat 

 whitish, passing into yellow. Length seven inches and three-quarters. Eggs 

 bluish white, speckled with dark grey. 



Grey Wagtail is not a very happy name for this bird, as 

 the bright yellow of its neck and breast are far more 

 conspicuous than the more sober grey of the head and 

 back ; yet, as there are other claimants for the more 

 appropriate names *' Yellow," and " Grey-headed," the 

 young observer must be cautious while reading the de- 

 scriptions of the several members of the family, or he 

 may possibly fall into error. The Grey Wagtail is among 



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