THE GEEY WAGTAIL. 439 



failed to induce the remainder to fly in a different direction ; for 

 after opening to the right and left, their ranks have again closed, 

 and the progress towards the east has been resumed as before." 



171. THE G-EEY WAGTAIL. 



Mntacilla Boarula, LIN. Bergeronette Jaime, BUF. Die Graue 

 Backs telze, BECH. 



Description. This beautiful bird is about the size of the 

 foregoing, being seven inches in length, of which the tail 

 measures nearly four inches. The beak is black ; the iris 

 brown ; the feet dark flesh colour, and nine lines high. The 

 whole upper part of the body, with the smaller wing coverts, 

 is dark grey, the head being somewhat mottled with olive 

 green. The rump is greenish yellow ; a white stripe runs 

 above the eyes ; another of the same colour passes from the 

 root of the beak to the neck : and a black one from the root of 

 the beak to the eyes. The throat is black ; the breast and 

 the lower part of the body are exceedingly bright yellow. 

 The wings are black ; the larger coverts white, the rest edged 

 with ashen grey. In the like manner the hindmost pen 

 feathers are white at the root, and bordered with the same 

 colour, which produces three white lines upon the wings. The 

 tail is long and black, but the outside feather is white, and the 

 next to it only bordered with black. 



The colours in the female are altogether lighter ; and the 

 throat is not black, but pale reddish yellow. Males also, of 

 from one to two years' old, have the black of the throat mottled 

 with white. 



Habitat. The Grey Wagtail is at home all over Europe. 

 It may frequently be met with, though always alone, in woody 

 and mountainous districts, watered by pebbly brooks. It is a 

 bird of passage, returning at the end of February or beginning 

 of March ; though in mild winters, it has been known to 

 remain, taking up its abode near dunghills or warm springs. 

 In confinement it must be placed in a Nightingale cage, and 

 treated like that bird ; yet is it so delicate, as rarely to live 

 above two years, even with the greatest care. 



Food. In a wild state, it feeds chiefly on aquatic insects. 

 In confinement, the old birds, which it is desired to tame, 

 must be fed at first on ants' eggs and meal worms ; though 

 they will in the end eat the universal paste, if pieces of hard- 

 boiled egg be mixed with it. 



