THE WHITE WAGTAIL. 211 



east Siberia) is like M. a. alba but has a black streak through lores 

 and behind eyes and more white on wing-coverts, M. a. Iuge7is 

 (Kamtschatka and Jesso) is like ocularis but has darker lesser 

 wing-coverts, much vv^hite on primaries, and has black mantle in 

 summer, M. a. grandis (Japan) is similar to last but has black 

 ear-coverts, M. a. persica (Persia) is intermediate between 31. a. 

 personata and M. a. alba, M. a. hodgsoni (Himalayas) is much 

 like M. a. 2^ersonata but darker on mantle, 31. a. subpersonata 

 (Marocco) is like 3i. a. alba, but with black line through lores and 

 behind eyes as in 31. a. ocularis, also black of throat is joined to 

 that of nape by a black band and below this band is a patch of 

 white. 



Field-characters. — Adults in summer much jjaler on mantle 

 than Pied Wagtail, but at other seasons they closely resemble 

 young and female Pied Wagtail, but females and young males in 

 winter have little or no black on crown and thus can be distinguished 

 from Pied Wagtail. Habits and notes practically same as Pied 

 Wagtail's. 



Breeding-habits. — Similar to those of Pied Wagtail, but nests 

 have been recorded in marram grass on sand-dunes, in Sand- 

 Martins' holes, and old Fieldfares' nests, as well as in woodstacks, 

 banks, etc., like its relative. Nest. — Also similar. Eggs. — From 

 5 to 7 as a rule, rarely 8 ; perhaps slightly bluer in a series than 

 Pied Wagtail's, but practically indistinguishable. Erythristic 

 variety once recorded. Average size of 100 eggs, 20.4 X 15.1 mm. 

 Breeding -season. — ^From end April to early July, exceptionallv 

 later in central Europe ; in Iceland and north Europe often not 

 before June. Two broods in south ; usuallj^ one in north. 

 Incubation. — By both sexes, but chiefly by hen ; period about 

 12 days. Fledging -j)eriod. — 14 days (in confinement : Teschemaker). 



Food. — Chiefly diptera, but also coleoptera, lepidoptera, neuroptera 

 and their larvse. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Spring and autumn passage migrant. 

 Has bred exceptionally in Devon, Isle of Wight, Kent, Sussex, 

 Middlesex, Cambs., Suffolk, Hunts., Yorks., W^estmorland, Car- 

 narvon, Fair Isle (1909 and 1910), Shetland, jDossibly Northants., 

 Bucks, and Ross. Also often recorded as interbreeding with Pied 

 Wagtail, and although many records are no doubt based upon faulty 

 identification, some are genuine. 



Passes through British Isles from mid-March to early June, 

 being chiefly noticed coastal regions west sides Great Britain and 

 Ireland, and especially frequent Welsh coast, in 0. Hebrides, Shet- 

 lands, Orkneys and Fair Isle. On eastern side aj)pears to pass 

 through in smaller numbers, and seldom recorded south-east coast 

 England, or east coast Ireland, but this is x^artly due to want of 



P2 



