318 LETTISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



belly, and nnder-parts bright yellow. Legs, toes, and 

 claws pale brown. 



Situation and Locality. On shelves of rock, in 

 crevices, in rough, rocky, and uneven banks, holes 

 in stone walls, behind or under large stones, rarely 

 far away from water. It is very local, and, like the 

 Dipper, seems to lay claim to a certain length of 

 stream. I know two waterfalls on moorland becks in 

 the North of England where a Dipper and a Grey 

 Wagtail nest almost yearly within a few yards of 

 each other. I have known the bird on one occasion 

 become foster-parent to a young Cuckoo. It breeds 

 in the western and northern counties of England ; 

 in Wales, Scotland, and in parts of Ireland. Our 

 illustration was procured in Westmoreland. 



Materials. Rootlets, grass, and moss, lined 

 with horse and cow hair ; sometimes a few 

 feathers. 



Eggs. Four to five, occasionally six, of a greyish- 

 white ground colour, spotted and speckled with 

 pale brown. Sometimes the ground colour is huffish 

 and the markings creamy-brown. Occasionally a 

 few streaks of dark brown are present. Size about 

 75 by -56 in. Much like the eggs of the Yellow 

 and Blue Headed Wagtails, also Sedge Warbler, 

 but easily identified by locality, situation, and a 

 sight of the parent birds. 



Time. April, May, and June. 



Remarks, Resident, but subject to local migra- 

 tion. Notes : sziszi or zisy, sharply uttered. Local 

 and other names : Dun Wagtail, Nanny Washtail, 

 Grey Wagster. Sits closely, and when disturbed 

 hovers round with her mate, uttering a note of 

 alarm. 



