442 THE YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



being a dirty white, and the under part of the body light red. 

 It is still alive, and by its song has shown itself to be a male. 



Habitat. This species of Wagtail is better known than the 

 preceding, as it is found in the cattle pastures in all the level 

 districts of Europe. In September it collects in large flocks 

 before departing for a warmer climate, uttering meanwhile a 

 loud cry of Sipp, sipp ! It returns about the end of March. 

 In confinement it may be treated like the Grey "Wagtail, but 

 is not so delicate a bird. 



Food, When wild, its food consists of such insects as gene- 

 rally fly about the cattle. In the aviary it may be treated like 

 the preceding species, though it thrives better if a little hard- 

 boiled egg, chopped small, be mixed with the first universal 

 paste. 



Breeding. This bird builds twice a year on the banks of 

 streams, deserted mole-hills, or, like the Lark, among the corn 

 and grass. The nest is composed of an external layer of grass 

 stalks, lined with wool, and the female lays five or six greyish 

 white eggs, spotted and mottled with reddish grey. The young 

 birds, which are much lighter on the under part of the body 

 than the old ones, and bear a strong resemblance to the female, 

 may be reared like those of the preceding species. 



Mode of Talcing. The Yellow Wagtail is not an easy bird 

 to catch, and the surest plan is to set limed twigs about the 

 nest. The plan mentioned for taking the Common Wagtail 

 is, however, sometimes successful. 



Attractive Qualities. These birds, of which I always keep 

 several, are worthy of a place in the aviary, on account both 

 of their beauty and of their song. They are particularly use- 

 ful in destroying flies, which they do in a peculiar manner, 

 creeping up on them with all the caution of a cat. 



ADDITIONAL. It will be seen that MACGILLIVRAY has applied 

 the term Yellow Wagtail to the preceding species ; the one here 

 described by BECHSTEIN, the true Motacilla flava of LINNJEUS, 

 he calls the^Blue-headed "Wagtail or Quaketail. It is a rare bird 

 in this country ; the Common Yellow Wagtail of British orni- 

 thologists, however, with which it was for a long time con- 

 founded, is plentiful enough; this, too, is a migratory bird, 

 arriving here towards the end of March, and leaving in Sep- 

 tember. It has been proposed, for distinction sake, to name this 

 bird RAY'S Wagtail, after the naturalist who first described 

 and identified it as a species distinct from the continental bird j 



