166 



Eggs. 4 — 6 in number, but 5 is perhaps the usual clutch. In a cold spring 



I have known 3 eggs only to be laid, and in the Canaries 4 is the typical 

 clutch, but in S. Derbyshire it is rare to find more than 5, although 6 are 

 commonly found in the N. of England, etc. In Germany the first brood 

 consists of 5 — 6, and the second of 4 — 5, according to Rey.* In colour and 

 markings a good deal of variety exists. Typical eggs somewhat resemble 

 these of the Yellow Wagtails, but are as a rule paler in colour. They are 

 generally of some shade of buff or stone colour, faintly marbled wdth 

 yellowish or greyish brown. Occasionally a set with distinct markings is met 

 with, and it is not uncommon to find a blackish hair line at the big end. 

 Exceptionally a set resembling miniature eggs of the Pied Wagtail occurs ; 

 while E. W. Blagg found a nest with 5 eggs in Staffordshire, which were 

 a beautiful warm pink with pale reddish markings and red hair lines 

 when fresh, and Meade -Waldo states that brick red eggs are frequently 

 met with in the Canary Isles, sometimes together with a single white 

 egg. In Ireland R. J. Ussher has taken eggs almost white, and also 

 with bold reddish brown and underlying grey markings on a white ground. 

 "White eggs have also been recorded from Yorkshire (Zool. 1904, p. 315). 

 The shell is very thin and delicate, without noticeable gloss. 



In England and Wales the eggs are usually laid between April 15 



Breeding and tlic beginning of May, often in the last week of April; but occasionally 



Season. ^ p^^j. ^^j |^g fouud breeding at the beginning of April, or even in the 

 last days of March. If the first nest be taken the hen begins to lay 

 again after an interval of a week, and occasionally a second brood is 

 reared, in which case the eggs are laid early in June. In some districts 

 of the Continent however, two broods appear to be usually brought off. 

 Thus in Germany the first eggs are laid in the latter half of April, and 

 those of the second brood in early June; but Jackel records an egg laid 

 in Bavaria on March 19 — an exceptionally early date. In Greece Reiser 

 has recorded nearly fledged young at the beginning of April, but the 

 more usual time for eggs is the end of March or early April, while the 

 eggs of the second brood are laid in the latter half of May. Tn the 

 Canaries eggs may be found through March and April. 



Average of 100 eggs (61 by Rey and 39 by the writer), 18.81x14.27 



Measure- mm., Max. 21.7 X 14.3 (Cumberland) and 19.1 X 15.1, Min. 17 X 14.1 

 and 19.1x12.7 mm. Average weight, 114 mg. (Rey); of 36 eggs, 112 

 mg. (Bau). 22 eggs from Tenerife are about the same size, averaging 

 18.6 X 14.2 mm, (Konig). 15 full eggs from Ireland average in weight 

 1.952 g (Foster). 



[Besides the common European form of this species treated of 

 above, M. boarula hoarula L., in Asia the Eastern Grey Wagtail, M. 



* 0. Sachse has recorded a clutch of 7 eggB. 



ments. 



