BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL. 29 



Plumage. Head and upper parts bluish grey ; pale streak 

 over and under eye. Gorget black. Wings brownish black, 

 edged with buffish white. Tail greenish yellow, long and 

 graceful, with outer feathers white, conspicuous in flight. 

 Under parts bright yellow. Bill dark brown. Legs pale 

 brown. Length 7 in. Female duller and no black gorget ; 

 throat white (latter remark also applies to male in autumn) ; 

 breast buff ; tail shorter. Young browner above ; eye-stripe 

 and under parts more buffy. 



Language. Closely resembling that of its Pied relative. 

 Call-note, " si-si." 



Habits. A most graceful and pretty bird, quick and agile 

 in its actions, running quickly, and flying in an undulatory 

 manner. 



Food. Insects and their larvae largely ; spiders, centipedes, 

 mollusca and Crustacea ; also seeds. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods. 



Site. On the ground in thick tuft of grass, under bush or 

 rock, in wheel-rut, choked ditch, &c. 



Materials. Grass, roots, and moss, lined with wool and 

 hair. 



Eggs. Five to six. Creamy white, closely mottled and 

 clouded with pale brown, like Yellow Wagtail's, but rather 

 larger. 



BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava). 



A casual visitor only, generally in spring, and has bred with 

 us on a few occasions. Has been observed chiefly in the 

 south-eastern, south-western, and southern counties. 



Observations. Very like the Yellow Wagtail, but note white 

 streak over eye (not yellow) and double yellowish bars on 

 wings. 



Plumage. Crown and nape bluish grey. Lores and ear- 

 coverts dark grey ; white superciliary streak ; upper parts 

 yellowish olive-green. Wings dark brown, tipped with yel- 

 lowish white, forming two bars. Tail-feathers blackish 

 brown. Chin white; under parts bright yellow. Bill and 

 legs black. Length 6 in. Female shorter ; head less grey ; 

 under parts not so yellow. Young upper parts greenish 

 brown ; under parts pale yellow. 



Language. Call-note, " chit-up" or " scizzur." 



Habits. Resembling the other Wagtails. 



Food. Insects and their larvae, etc. 



Nest. May. Probably one brood only. 



Site. On the ground in corn-fields, on bank, &c., amongst 



