THE PERCHING BIRDS. 159 



April in the steep banks of swift streams, is of grass and 

 roots lined with hair. Eggs, 5, ^ inch ; dirty white, with 

 pale-brown spots and sometimes a few black lines. 



A spring and summer visitor to our east coast, the Blue- 

 headed Wagtail is distinguished by the blue tint of the 



* Blue- head and a white streak over the eye. Besides 

 headed this, there is a race, of far rarer occurrence, 

 Wagtail. i ac ki n g tne characteristic eye -streak. This 



bird appears to find the immediate presence of water less 

 indispensable, as its nest is not seldom found in corn-fields 

 at some distance from any river. The nest, not ready 

 until the middle of May, and placed on the ground, is of 

 fine grasses lined with hair or feathers, or both. Eggs, 5, 

 24 inch ; yellowish, with pale spots and black lines, the 

 latter often absent. 



Mostly with us from April to September, not a few 

 Yellow Wagtails remain through mild winters. In the 



* Yellow Highlands and Ireland this species is rare. 

 "Wagtail. The eye-streak is yellow, and there is a good 



deal of yellow in the under-plumage generally, while the 

 prevalent shade of the back is green. Its food consisting 

 chiefly of molluscs and insects, there seems little reason 

 for the name " Seed-bird," by which it is widely known, 

 unless it is that the bird, which often chases insects near 

 the droppings of cattle, is supposed to be feeding on the 

 undigested seed. The nest, commenced almost immedi- 

 ately on arrival in April, is placed on the ground, and is 

 of fine grasses lined with feathers and hair. Eggs, like 

 those of the preceding in number and size, and differing 

 little in appearance. 



The Tree-Pipit arrives from the Continent in April, and 

 leaves these islands about the end of September. It breeds 

 in most English counties, but is very scarce in Wales and 



