92 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



feathers from a cock's hackle. The eggs (four to six) are blue streaked with 

 dark red-brown, like a Linnet's, but more strongly coloured. 



It is a seed-eater. Its call-note is syllabled as " Jegegegeck," and an 

 alarm note, " Sheh-she-shy " ; and it has a curious little song which it rattles 

 off, containing, among other chattering phrases, " Lazy Jenny 1 " 



Wagtail, Grey. The wagtails are a very f amiliar family, with the distinctive 

 characteristic that gives them their name the balancing tail, moved up and 

 down as if it were on a spring slightly touched by a finger. The Grey Wagtail 

 is increasing in numbers in the South (in Hants, for example, where it breeds 

 regularly), though it is said to be distributed generally in the hilly districts and 

 to be rare in or absent from the South. I have, however, every year for the 

 past ten years, seen its nest under the bridges and on the walls or woodwork 

 of the locks and hatches of the river. There is no mistaking its uniform slate- 

 blue upper parts, and longish tail ; the cock's black throat, white stripe above 

 and below the eye, the yellow under parts. 



The hen has little black on the throat. The note is a simple "Tweet." 

 The nest is almost always near water, in a bank, wall, or part of a bridge or 

 lock: moss, etc., lined with hair. The eggs (four to six) are yellowish white, 

 with brownish spots. 



Wagtail, Pied. This species is easily recognized by its constantly repeated 

 note, " Tisit-tisit-tisit," as well as by its black-grey and white plumage, and 

 black tail with white edges. The female is greyer. The birds are often found 

 near water catching insects, but they haunt gardens as well. They may also 

 be seen following cattle as they graze, catching the insects stirred up by the 

 animals' feet. 



There is a " gentle, warbling song," somewhat resembling a weak robin's 

 and lark's, but it is seldom heard. 



The nesting site is usually in a recess in a wall or bank : dried grass, moss, 

 etc., lined with hair and finer grasses, etc. The eggs are five or six in number, 

 white, with numerous grey spots and dots. 



Wagtail, White. This is a summer visitor (the foregoing being a resident), 

 which breeds to some extent in the South and East of England. The male in 

 summer plumage differs from the former species in having back and rump 

 grey instead of black. In winter the male has more white on the wing, a 

 lighter grey on the back, and grey instead of black on the tail. This bird is 

 said to sing " continuously," the hen as well as the cock. 



Wagtail, Yellow (or RAY'S). One of our summer migrants ; a bird of slender 

 shape, marked by its olive-green upper parts, the bright yellow eye stripe, and 

 yellow under parts. The nest is generally on the ground in a field or a meadow, 

 often under a clod of earth or tuft of grass, and -the eggs are whitish, with small 

 spots and dots of greyish brown. There is a shrill call-note ; the species nests 

 later than the preceding, beginning to lay in May. 



Warbler, Dartford. A rare bird, very local, to be found on heaths and 

 commons where there is plenty of gorse, chiefly in the South of England, espe- 



