58 Order I 



in masonry, ledges of rocks, or projecting tree-roots 

 by streams are the almost invariable sites for the 

 nest; the structure is more mossy than in the Pied 

 Wagtail, and the eggs are closely marked with brownish 

 yellow. The true Yellow Wagtail (M. rail), which is 

 greenish olive above and yellow below with browner 

 wings and tail, is only a summer visitor to us, and 

 frequents marshy flats, water-meadows and such 

 places, though not uncommonly placing its nest in 

 young corn or rye-grass. It is always built on 

 the ground, in some depression of the soil, and is 

 similar to that of the Pied Wagtail, though the eggs 

 are even yellower in their markings than those of the 

 Grey Wagtail, and have often the same black hair-line 

 at the larger end. The Yellow Wagtail breeds locally 

 in south Scotland, and also in western Holland and 

 western France ; it is, however, impossible in our 

 limited space even to name the many allied forms 

 that occur abroad. The best known in Britain is the 

 Blue-headed Wagtail (M . flava), which breeds irregu- 

 larly with us, chiefly in the south and east of England, 

 and is common in most parts of the Continent ; adults 

 may be distinguished from those of M . rail by the 

 blue-grey head and the white in place of yellowish 

 stripe over the eye. In the adult male of the latter 

 the crown is almost yellow. 



Three Pipits breed with us, besides accidental 

 visitors, and two are resident or partly migratory. 

 Of these the best known is the Meadow-Pipit or Tit- 

 lark (Anihus pratensis), abundant on our moors and 

 by no means rare on rough ground at lower altitudes. 

 It is found throughout Britain ; from Iceland to west 

 Siberia ; and thence to the Pyrenees, north Italy, and 



