THE WAGTAIL. 243 



Description Food Nests. 



encircling each eye; and another or two under- 

 neath it, on each side of the throat; the top of 

 the head and the fore part of the neck, or throat, 

 and the upper part of the back, are all black. 

 Some of the tips of the quill-feathers are white, 

 which form a small white line upon, the wing, 

 and another is also formed by the white edges of 

 some of the rows of the covert-feathers; the 

 lower parts of the breast and belly are both white. 

 The tail is about three inches long, which is 

 almost continually in motion, wagging up and 

 down, from whence it is supposed to derive the 

 name of wagtail; the outer feathers are chiefly 

 white, the rest black. The claws are sharp- 

 pointed, and pretty long, of a dusky, or blackish 

 colour. 



These birds are frequently seen about the 

 brinks of rivers, ponds, and small pools of water, 

 and also amongst the low grass in dewy morn- 

 ings, where they feed upon flies, worms, beetles, 

 and other small insects. They build under the 

 eaves of houses, and in holes in the walls qf old 

 buildings; laying four or five eggs. 



There is another species, called the grey wag- 

 tail, from the colour of its head, neck, and back. 

 It is somewhat larger than the common wagtail, 

 owing to the great length of its tail. It has a 

 dark brown bill, and over each eye a pale streak; 

 the throat and chin are black, and all the under 

 parts of the body a bright yellow; the wing-co- 

 verts and quills are dark brown, the former with 

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