THE WHITE WAGTAIL 



MOTACILLA ALBA 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A local visitor, chiefly 

 on spring and autumn migration, a few remaining to 

 breed ; rare in Scotland, and very sparingly distributed 

 in Ireland. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : A special interest attaches to the White Wagtail, 

 for it was first noticed in England in the spring of 1841 

 by Bond, who discovered it breeding at Kingsbury 

 Reservoir, which is less than eight miles from St. Paul's. 

 There can be no doubt that the present species is very 

 often confused with the Pied Wagtail, so that even its 

 approximate dispersal within the Metropolitan area be- 

 comes very difficult to trace. That it visits many parts 

 of this area during its annual migrations cannot be 

 doubted ; whether it habitually nests within it cannot 

 at present be determined. Mr. Sharpe records the visit 

 of this Wagtail to Chiswick in October 1890 and 1891. 

 The comparatively few observers competent to identify 

 the White Wagtail in this area renders its detection a 

 matter of the greatest chance. That the White Wag- 

 tail breeds in England far more frequently than was 

 once suspected by ornithologists, as the recent testimony 

 of careful observers proves, seems to suggest the bird's 

 greater frequency within our limits. The information 

 relating to this species round London is exceptionally 

 meagre, and the Kingsbury and Chiswick records stand 

 practically alone. Let us hope that a fuller investigation 

 may soon be made and recorded. 



The habits, nesting economy, and eggs of the White 

 Wagtail so closely resemble those of the preceding species 

 that it is not necessary in a work of the present scope to 

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