108 BRITISH BIRDS 



differs in never coming about houses or breeding in their vicinity ; 

 and from the grey wagtail in not being restricted to the \\atcrsidc. 

 In the fields it follows the plough, and in the pastures it is often 

 seen with the cattle, chasing the small twilight moths and other 

 insects driven from the grass. 



As the season advances it forsakes the cultivated lands and open 

 downs, and is more restricted to borders of streams, and to meadows 

 and pastures not far from water. The nest is placed on the ground 

 under the grass and herbage, and is formed of dry bents and fibrous 

 roots, and lined with hair. Four to six eggs are laid, mottled with 

 pale brown and olive on a French- white ground. 



Besides the three species described we have the white wagtail 

 (Motacilla alba) as a rare visitor to the south of England and Ire- 

 land, and the blue-headed yellow wagtail (MotaciUaflava), an acci- 

 dental straggler to the southern, south-western, and eastern counties 

 of England. These two species breed throughout Europe, the first 

 being the continental form of our pied wagtail, which it closely 

 resembles ; and the second, of the yellow wagtail. 



Meadow-Pipit. 



Anthus pratensis. 





FIG. 39 MEADOW-PIPIT. ^ natural size. 



Hind claw longer than the toe, slightly curved. Upper parts ,-ish 

 tinged with olive, the centre of each feather dark brown ; under 



