THE OX-EYE. 443 



and as GOULD may fairly claim the priority of discovery in the case 

 of the more rare foreign visitant, it has been argued that it should 

 be called GOULD'S Wagtail, or, as MACGILLIVBAY has it, Quake- 

 tail. This naturalist places these two species in a genus by them- 

 selves, which he terms Budytes, calling the one B. Mayi, or 

 Green-headed Quaketail ; the other, JB. Gouldi, or Blue-headed 

 Quaketail, the colour of the head forming, as he says, the main 

 distinction between the two birds. Spring or Sumnler Wagtail, 

 Oatseed Bird, or Oatear, are also terms applied to the first 

 named, and in this country more familiar species, of which, it 

 appears, but little is known on the Continent. " This bird," 

 says NEVILLE WOOD, " has received its popular designation, not 

 as some suppose on account of its feeding on oats or any other 

 corn, for it is wholly insectivorous, but because those extensive 

 upland districts, which it frequents, are more favourable to the 

 growth of oats than to any other kinds of grain, and because, 

 moreover, it resorts to those corn-fields on its first arrival in 

 Britain. 



" Though the Spring Oatear is not a typical Motacilla, yet it 

 does, nevertheless, wag its tail ; it has not, however, so long a tail 

 to wag, and altogether shows a decided departure from the true 

 Wagtails. Almost every one who lives in the country must have 

 remarked that the tail is not merely waved up and down, but 

 that it is accompanied with a kind of lateral motion, or, at least, 

 that the tail is partially spread at the time of wagging, which 

 gives it a flitting, unsteady appearance." 



173. THE OX-EYE, OB GBEATEE TITMOUSE. 



Parus Major, LIN. Grosse Mesange ou Charbonniere, BUF. Die 

 Kolhmeise^ BECH. 



Description. This well-known bird is about the size of the 

 Blackcap, being five inches and ten lines in length, of which 

 the tail measures two inches and a half. The beak, as in all 

 birds of this species, is conical, hard, sharp pointed, and not 

 serrated ; the iris is dark brown ; the feet lead colour, and nine 

 lines in height; the claws strong, and adapted to climbing. 

 The top of the head and the throat are bright black, and a 

 stripe of the same colour passes over the nape of the neck ; 

 the cheeks and temples are white. The junction of the neck 

 and back is greenish yellow mixed with white ; the back is a 

 beautiful olive green; the rump light grey; the breast and 

 belly yellowish green, divided down the middle by a broad 

 black stripe. The vent is black in the middle, and white at 



