28 WHITE WAGTAIL GREY WAGTAIL. 



conspicuous in flight. Belly white. Bill and legs black. 

 Length 7J in. Female rather greyer above ; in autumn both 

 sexes lose the black throat and chin. Young, white areas 

 washed with yellow. 



Language. Song seldom heard but is loud and hurried, 

 often uttered on the wing ; not unlike the Swallow's warble. 

 Call-note, a sharp " chizzic " ; it also utters a shrill kind of 

 whistle. 



Habits. Though not so quick and graceful as the Grey and 

 Yellow Wagtails, it is most engaging with its see-sawing tail- 

 waggings and its aerial evolutions when insect-hunting ; 

 always conspicuous. Flight undulating. It walks sedately, 

 with bobbing head, or runs very nimbly and quickly. Fond 

 of bathing (hence Dishwasher). Much more confiding than 

 the other Wagtails. 



Food. Chiefly insects and their larvas, spiders, and seeds. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods. 



Site. In holes in banks, walls, or roof of open shed, and 

 many other similar situations. 



Materials. Dry grass, roots, bents, lined with wool, hair, 

 and feathers. Nest rather large and shallow. 



Eggs. Four to six. White or greyish white, speckled 

 with grey and dark brown, like one variety of House Sparrow. 



WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba). 



A somewhat casual visitor, chiefly occurring in the South. 

 In Ireland practically unknown ; owing to its close resem- 

 blance to the last, it may have been overlooked. 



Haunts. Like last. 



Plumage. Much like last, but differs in the greyer back and 

 wings ; more white on head and sides of neck. Length 7 in. 

 Female no black on nape or back. Young, cheeks and throat 

 washed with yellow ; more of an olive-grey on upper parts. 



Language. Similar to last. 



Habits. Same as last. 



Food. Same as last. 



Nest. Same as last. 



Site. Same as last. 



Materials. Same as last. 



Eggs. Five to seven. Same as last, but said to have a 

 bluer tinge. 



GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla 



Eesident or intermigratory. Most common in mountainous 

 districts, but rarer and more local than Pied Wagtail. 

 Haunts. Bushing mountain torrents, like the Dipper. 



