THE GREY WAGTAIL. 59 



of dried bents of hay and grass, fibrous roots and twigs 

 carefully lined with hair, wool, or a few feathers. About 

 six eggs are laid, of a greyish or dirtyish white, with 

 markings of light-grey and brown ; they are of a short oval 

 shape, and vary exceedingly in colour and marking. 



The male bird is about eight inches in length, about 

 half of which measurement is taken up by the tail. 

 The bill is dusky brown ; a dark grey streak passes from 

 the bill through the eye. Above the iris is a light buff- 

 coloured mark, and a similar one below; the forehead, 

 crown, back of neck and sides of head are grey, slightly 

 tinged with greenish yellow ; the chin and throat are 

 black, edged with white, and buff-white in winter, chang- 

 ing to grey until the beginning of April. The breast, 

 especially the lower part, is a beautiful bright yellow, in 

 winter greyish-white with a faint tinge of yellow ; black, 

 grey, and yellowish towards the tail. The wings are 

 dusky black, with markings of white, and the tail is 

 brownish-black, with the outer feathers white; the under 

 tail coverts are bright yellow, and the legs, toes, and claws 

 are of a brownish-yellow. The female is smaller than the 

 male, the throat is tinged with yellow, and in summer the 

 black patch changes to dark grey mottled with yellowish- 

 grey. The young birds do not assume the adult plumage 

 until after the first autumnal moult. They have a very 

 noticeable habit of expanding the tail on first alighting, 

 thereby plainly showing the white feathers on each side. 



These wagtails are migrating birds, leaving the north 

 for the south about August or September, and returning 

 about February or March. They are very partial to 

 localities, and the same birds return to the same quarters 

 year after year ; they appear to visit certain places at 



