68 



THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



meridce, now chasing an insect along the bank. What 

 activity ! what airy lightness ! 



You will need your glass to distinguish him from his 

 cousin, the WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba), which, although 

 a somewhat rarer species, is no doubt often overlooked or 

 confounded with the pied, the difference being in the colour 

 of the back the pied being quite black, the white more of 

 a slaty colour, head and neck only being black. Their 

 habits and localities are the same. 



The COMMON YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla Ran), of the 

 same order and family as the last, is a regular summer 



FIG. I. HEAD OF PIED WAGTAIL. FIG. 2. HEAD OF WHITE WAGTAIL. 



FIG. 3. HEAD OF YELLOW WAGTAIL. FIG. 4. HEAD OF GREY WAGTAIL. 



visitant, and although often seen close to our rivers and 

 streams, is not such a close frequenter of the water as the 

 Dishwasher, but is partial to corn-fields and downs. It has 

 the provincial name of the Barley-Bird, from arriving during 

 the time of the Lent corn-sowing. From its delicate, fairy 

 form and graceful movements, it is called in Spain Pepita, 

 and on the Riviera Ballarina, or the Dancing-Girl. Its 

 brilliant yellowy plumage attracts immediate attention ; but 

 if required to be seen well the binocular must be used, as 

 the bird is not so familiar as his cousin above. Look at 

 his beautiful yellow-green back and head, with the yellow 



