GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL. 175 



same year, near Newcastle, in Northumberland; and another, 

 also a male, was taken in April, 1837, near Finsbury, London. 



In Scotland, one was met with near Leith, and another 

 near Edinburgh. 



It is a migratory bird, like the others of its clan, and 

 arrives here about the middle of April, departing again in 

 September, though some remain until October. 



This species seems, if report speaks true, to frequent small 

 streams of water more than the Yellow Wagtail, but it also 

 resorts to meadows, downs, and fields. 



The gait of the Grey-headed Wagtail is alike in graceful 

 activity to that of the rest of its congeners, and when it 

 alights, the same fanning motion of the tail bespeaks its 

 family name. It runs with great rapidity, and perches on 

 trees, but it seems much the most at home on 'terra firma,' 

 and to be rather insecure when perched; its feet being more 

 adapted for walking and running than for holding on to a 

 branch. 



Its food consists of insects of various kinds, and their larvae, 

 and doubtless any 'unconsidered trifles' that are eatable. 



The note is said to be sharper than that of the Yellow 

 Wagtail. 



The nest is generally placed on the ground in holes or 

 hollows, especially in marshy or moist places, and among the 

 projecting roots of trees; also, it is said, in fields and meadows. 

 It is formed of grass, moss, or heath, lined with finer por- 

 tions of the former materials and hair. 



The eggs are about six in number, whitish in colour, mottled 

 nearly all over with yellowish brown and grey. 



Male; length, six inches and a half; bill, black: a white 

 band, composed in fact of two, extends from it over the eye, 

 and a dark one to the eye; iris, dusky brown; head on the 

 crown, bluish grey. The neck has a white band on the 

 sides, and on the back it is, as is the nape, bluish grev; 

 chin, white; throat and breast, bright yellow, almost white, 

 or pale primrose-colour in autumn. Back, yellowish green, 

 tinged with brown, the latter colour being on the centre of 

 each feather, and the yellowish fading out in autumn. 



The wings extend to within an inch and three quarters of 

 the end of the tail; greater and lesser wing coverts, dusky 

 brown, margined with yellowish white; of the primaries, the 

 first is scarcely longer than the second, the third a little 

 shorter; they and the secondaries and tertiaries are dusky 



