444 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



WAGTAIL, BLUE-HEADED. 



(Motacilla ftava.) 

 Order PASSERES ; Family MOTACILLIDVE (WAGTAILS). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about six 

 and a half inches ; bill fairly long, slender, straight, 

 and black. Irides dullish brown. Crown and nape 

 bluish-grey ; scapulars, back, and upper tail-coverts 

 greenish-olive, suffused with yellow ; wing-coverts 

 and primaries dark brown, the former, as well as 

 the tertials, bordered with greyish-yellow. The 

 tail is black in the centre and white on the outer 

 edges. Over the eye and ear-coverts is a white 

 streak, also one of shorter dimensions under the 

 eye ; ear-coverts bluish-grey ; chin and cheeks 

 white; throat, breast, belly, vent, and under tail- 

 coverts golden-yellow; legs, toes, and claws black. 



The female is somewhat smaller and less brilliant 

 and distinctive in coloration. The bird may be 

 distinguished from the Yellow Wagtail, which it 

 closely resembles, by its bluish-grey head and the 

 white streak over the eye and ear-coverts. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground, amongst 

 meadow grass, on hedgerow banks, amongst the 

 exposed roots of trees, in pastures, grass meadows, 

 and cornfields, according to Continental observations. 



Materials. Dead grass, moss, and fibrous roots, 

 lined with horsehair. 



Eggs. Four to six, usually five ; quite similar 

 to those of the Yellow Wagtail ; greyish-white, 

 suffused, mottled, or spotted with varying shades 

 of brown ; sometimes marbled with a few fine lines 

 of dark brown. Size about .78 by .56 in. (See 

 Plate III.) 



