l"82 BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE PIED WAGTAIL. 



BLACK AND WHITE WATER WAGTAIL. 



(Motacilla Yarrcllii, Gould. Kcrgcronctte Yarrcll, 

 Temm. 



LENGTH about seven inches. The bill is black ; 

 eyes hazel ; hinder part of the head and neck 

 black; forehead, cheeks, and sides of the neck 

 white; the fore part of the neck and part of the 

 breast are black, bordered by a whitish line form- 

 ing a gorget; the back and rump are dark ash; 

 wing coverts and secondary quills dusky, edged 

 with light grey : prime quills black, with pale 

 edges; lower part of the breast and belly white; 

 the middle feathers of the tail are black, the 

 outermost white, except at the base and tips of 

 the inner webs, which are black ; legs black. 

 There are slight variations in these birds; some 

 are white on the chin and throat, leaving only 

 a crescent of black on the breast. The head of 

 the female is brown. 



This is a very common bird with us, and may 

 be seen every where, running on the ground, and 



