PIED WAGTAIL. 



369 



black ; chin, throat, and chest also black ; these colours, how- 

 ever, do not unite on the sides of the neck before the shoulder ; 

 but the white colour passes downwards and backwards be- 

 tween the two black patches, and is lost in the ash-grey 

 colour of the back and scapulars ; the sides and flanks in this 

 bird are also of a lighter grey colour. In other respects the 

 two species are much alike. 



In their winter dress, as observed by Mr. Gould, there 

 is less difference in the colour of the plumage. 



The marked specific distinction between these two Wag- 

 tails, is, that the beak of our Pied Wagtail is broader than 

 that of the White Wagtail throughout its whole length from 

 the point to the more dilated base, and that while our pied 

 bird changes on the back from ash grey to black in the breed- 

 ing-season, the back of the white bird remains as light in 

 colour as it is in winter ; even the back of the female of our 

 pied bird changes, and is decidedly much darker in summer 

 than the back of the White Wagtail at the same season. 



The figure at page 362 represents the male of our Pied 

 Wagtail in summer plumage : the figures at the bottom of 

 page 365 represent parts of the same species in summer and 

 winter plumage : the figures below represent the same parts 

 at the same seasons in the Continental White Wagtail, and 

 which I have very little doubt will be occasionally found in 

 this country. 



