26 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



yellow. Young, upper parts greenish brown ; under 

 parts pale yellow. 



Language. Call-note, " chit-up " or " scizzur." 

 Habits. Resembling the other Wagtails. 

 Food. Insects and their larvae, &c. 

 Nest. May. Probably one brood only. 



Site. On the ground in corn-fields, on bank, &c., 

 amongst herbage. 



Materials. Dry grass, roots, moss, lined with hair 

 and a few feathers. 



Eggs. Yellowish white, clouded and mottled with pale 

 brown ; usually a hair-like streak, like next. 



YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla raii}. 



April to September. Well-distributed though not 

 abundant except in Devon and Cornwall. Local in 

 Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 



Haunts. Pasture-lands, ploughed fields, commons, 

 and brickfields ; usually near water. 



Observation. Distinguish from Grey Wagtail by the 

 brownish (not dark grey) upper parts and relatively 

 shorter tail. 



Plumage. Upper parts generally greenish olive, 

 bright yellow streak over eye. Wings brown, tipped 

 and edged with buff. Tail-feathers blackish brown, 

 two outer pairs white, conspicuous in flight ; under parts 

 bright yellow. Bill and legs black. Length 6J in. 

 Female browner above and paler below ; eye-stripe 

 less yellow. Young even browner than female ; throat 

 buffish ; sides of neck and breast streaked and spotted 

 with brown. 



