52 BRITISH BIRDS. 



however, often been confused with M. cinereicapilla, of 

 Savi, inhabiting the shores of the Mediterranean. 



63. Motaeilla rail (Bonaparte). YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



Hab. Northern France and British Islands, also said to 

 breed in the Caspian region. In winter migrating to 

 Africa. 



Male : crown and upper parts light greenish-olive ; 

 above eye and ear-coverts a pale yellow stripe ; wings 

 dark brown, coverts and secondaries margined and tipped 

 with buffish-white ; two outer tail-feathers chiefly white, 

 rest dusky -brown ; entire lower parts bright yellow ; bill 

 and tarsi black. Length 6*25. Female : above olive- 

 brown ; eye stripe and under parts paler yellow ; breast 

 tinged with brown. Young : like female, but even less 

 yellow ; sides of neck and breast spotted with brown. 



Fairly common throughout Great Britain, excepting 

 north of Scotland and the extreme S.W. of England ; in 

 Ireland breeds commonly around Lough Neagh, but seldom 

 in other localities. It arrives early in April, usually leaving 

 in September, but I have known it to occur near London 

 in winter (" Birds of London,") and it has been recorded 

 also from Bath on March Qth (" Ornithologist," 

 April, 1896). Nest: placed on ground in meadows and 

 cornfields, often concealed in grass by ditches and streams ; 

 composed of dry grasses and moss, lined with hair, 

 feathers, etc. Eggs : 5 or 6 ; greyish white, mottled with 

 pale yellowish-brown, and with one or two black streaks ; 

 size '78 by '57. First eggs laid early in May ; two broods 

 often reared. Flight-note is a shrill chee> chee, chit-up. 



GENUS XXVII. ANTHUS, Bechstein (1807). 

 Differs very slightly from Motaeilla. Tail is shorter 

 and slightly forked. Tarsus also shorter ; hind claw 



