34 S THE GREY AXD YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



the last ; found in similar places, and, like the bird, they are a 

 little less. The male in summer has the head and upper parts 

 bluish-grey ; rump, yellow ; throat, black ; a white streak 

 above the eye ; under parts, yellow ; wings, greyish-black ; 

 coverts, tipped with white. In winter the black of the throat 

 becomes yellowish-white, and the belly pale yellow. Female 

 similar. 



The Grey and Yellow Wagtail, or Yellow 

 Wagtail, or Ray's Wagtail. 



(Motacilla Flam.) Linn. 



" Come, Autumn, sae pensive, in yellow and grey, 

 And soothe me with tidings o' Nature's decay ; 

 The dark dreary winter and wild driving snaw 

 Alane can delight me — now Nannie's awa' !" — Burns. 



Although set down by authors as a summer migrant only, I 

 have shot it here in winter. On December 13th, 1855, I shot 

 one along with a pied-wagtail on the west sands, and have seen 

 it at all seasons. On January 9th, 1884, I saw several on the 

 Links — weather mild ; and on January 2nd, 1889, I saw one at 

 the harbour ; but they are not common. I got a nest on the 

 banks of the Kenly in May with six eggs, two of which were 

 fresh, four deep sitten, which I tested amongst water; the 

 fresh sank, the others floated. I left them in the nest ; the 

 bird flew out at my feet as I was going to cross the burn near 

 Lower Kenly farm. It was composed of roots, dry grass, and 

 lined with hair. The eggs, pale brown, spotted with darker 

 brown, f 1 ,; inch by h 1 <! . This species frequents arable land and 

 sheep pastures as well as the sea coast, rivers, or burns, and 

 generally builds on the ground in a field of peas or corn, or in 

 a fallow field, as well as burnsides, and holes of dykes near 

 water. Like all birds, there is much difference in their nests ; 

 some of moss and grass, lined with rabbits' fur ; others, like a 

 meadow pipit's, entirely of grass, lined with finer grass or roots, 

 with neither hair, feathers, wool, nor fur. Like the two last, 

 the grey and yellow wagtails are often confounded. The M. 

 Flara of Continental authors beincr different from our own 



