THE WHITE WAGTAIL 
MOTACILLA ALBA 
LocaL names in surrounding counties : 
Status IN British Avirauna: A local visitor, chiefly 
on spring and autumn migration, a few remaining to 
breed ; rare in Scotland, and very sparingly distributed 
in Ireland. 
RapiaL DistRiBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Pavt’s : A special interest attaches to the White Wagtail, 
for it was first noticed in England in the spring of 1841 
by Bond, who discovered it breeding at Kingsbury 
Reservoir, which is less than eight miles from St. Paul’s. 
There can be no doubt that the present species is very 
often confused with the Pied Wagtail, so that even its 
approximate dispersal within the Metropolitan area be- 
comes very difficult to trace. That it visits many parts 
of this area during its annual migrations cannot be 
doubted ; whether it habitually nests within it cannot 
at present be determined. Mr. Sharpe records the visit 
of this Wagtail to Chiswick in October 1890 and 1891. 
The comparatively few observers competent to identify 
the White Wagtail in this area renders its detection a 
matter of the greatest chance. That the White Wag- 
tail breeds in England far more frequently than was 
once suspected by ornithologists, as the recent testimony 
of careful observers proves, seems to suggest the bird’s 
greater frequency within our limits. ‘The information 
relating to this species round London is exceptionally 
meagre, and the Kingsbury and Chiswick records stand 
practically alone. Let us hope that a fuller investigation 
may soon be made and recorded. 
The habits, nesting economy, and eggs of the White 
Wagtail so closely resemble those of the preceding species 
that it is not necessary in a work of the present scope to 
120 
