GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL. 413 



Mr. Gould very clearly proved what appears never to 

 have been even suspected before, that the M. flava of 

 English authors was not only a different bird from the M. 

 flava of Continental authors ; but that our very common 

 Yellow Wagtail was in fact as rare a bird, and as little 

 known on the Continent, as the M. flava of the Continent 

 was rare here. Those who contend that the trivial name 

 given by the first describer of a species ought ever to 

 remain unchanged, will still consider that our well-known 

 Yellow Wagtail ought to continue to be called M. flava, 

 while those who consider systematic nomenclature as begin- 

 ning with Linneus, will continue the term flava to the 

 Grey-headed Wagtail of Mr. Gould. 



When the Grey-headed Wagtail was first named in this 

 country, Mr. Gould, supposing this species had been equally 

 overlooked on the Continent, called it Motacilla neglecta ; 

 but further communication with Continental Ornithologists 

 convincing him that it was the true M. flava of Linneus, 

 and subsequently of Continental authors, it became neces- 

 sary that the term neglecta should be dropped in favour of 

 that of 'flava, which it had so long borne ; and it was then 

 considered that justice would also be done to Bay's original 

 notice of our yellow bird, if it was in future to be called 

 Rays Wagtail. I have reason to believe that the applica- 

 tion of the term Rayi, as appropriated to this bird in the 

 comparative list of the Prince of Musignano, had Mr. 

 Gould^s concurrence. 



The first British specimen of this bird, obtained in Octo- 

 ber 1834, on Walton Cliffs, near Colchester, was shot by 

 Mr. Henry Doubleday ; two birds were together, and his 

 attention was drawn to them by observing a pair so late in 

 the season, and so long after our common Yellow Wagtail 

 leaves this country. Only one of the two was secured. 



