26 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



yellow. Young, upper parts greenish brown ; under 

 parts pale yellow. 



Language. — Call-note, " chit-up " or " scizzur." 



Habits. — Resembling the other Wagtails. 



Food. — Insects and their larvae, &c. 



Nest. — May. Probably one brood only. 



Site. — On the ground in corn-fields, on bank, &c., 

 amongst herbage. 



Materials. — Dry grass, roots, moss, lined with hair 

 and a few feathers. 



Eggs. — Yellowish white, clouded and mottled with pale 

 brown ; usually a hair-like streak, like next. 



YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla raii). 



April to September. Well-distributed though not 

 abundant except in Devon and Cornwall. Local in 

 Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 



Haunts. — Pasture-lands, ploughed fields, commons, 

 and brickfields ; usually near water. 



Observation. — Distinguish from Grey Wagtail by the 

 brownish (not dark grey) upper parts and relatively 

 shorter tail. 



Plumage. — Upper parts generally greenish olive, 

 bright yellow streak over eye. Wings brown, tipped 

 and edged with buff. Tail-feathers blackish brown, 

 two outer pairs white, conspicuous in flight ; under parts 

 bright yellow. Bill and legs black. Length 6J in. 

 Female browner above and paler below ; eye-stripe 

 less yellow. Young even browner than female ; throat 

 huffish ; sides of neck and breast streaked and spotted 

 with brown. 



