132 THE ZOOLOGIS!. 
WaGTAILS OBSERVED IN Hotianp.—Some remarks of mine on this 
subject in the January number (p. 11) being apparently not quite clear, 
I beg to add the following explanation :—The Yellow Wagtails of Europe, 
although considered by Messrs. Finsch and Hartlaub (Vog. Ost. Afr.) to 
be merely varieties of one species, are divided by Mr. Dresser (‘ Birds of 
Europe,’ pt. 40) into four, as follows, the first three being those referred to 
by me:—(1) Motacilla flava, Linn:, found breeding in Central Europe ; 
(2) M. viridis, Gmel., only found in the high north ; (3) M. Rati, Bonaparte, 
the well-known English summer visitor; (4) M. melanocephala, Licht., 
inhabiting Southern Europe. Whether this last named has a similar song to 
the others I do not know; but, in connection with my remarks, it is curious 
that Mr. Seebohm, in his notes on the Petchora birds, says of the Yellow- 
headed Wagtail (M. citreola, Pall.), “ Both the call and alarm-note of this bird, 
as well as its low chattering song, are very similar to those of M. viridis.” 
No one who has ever heard the Grey Wagtail, M. sulphurea, Bechst., could 
for a moment mistake its notes for those of M. Rati; and both species are 
very familiar to me, as they breed abundantly in this district, the former 
also remaining throughout the winter.—F’. 8. Mirene xu (Clitheroe). 
Nustine or THE Prep Fiycarener.— Mr. William Illingworth, bird- 
stuffer, of this village, but who formerly resided near Bradford, informs me 
that the Pied Flycatcher occasionally breeds in the valley between 
Thornton and Bradford. I have always considered it very remarkable 
since I first became acquainted with this species in Upper Wharfedale, 
where it breeds in great numbers [see ‘Zoologist,’ 1877, pp. 54, 297], 
that it should not be known in this part even as an accidental visitant, 
though the district is well wooded, in some places with fine old timber, 
in the vicinity of water—physical conditions which are identical with 
those which obtain in Upper Wharfedale, and which appear so well 
suited to its habits. Under the operation of the ‘ Wild Birds Protection 
Act,’ which is generally respected in this neighbourhood, the breeding of 
the Pied Flycatcher in Airedale may be looked upon neither as an 
improbable nor remote contingency.—E, P. Burrerriep (Wilsden). 
Honey Bozzarp Nesting IN HerrEFoRDsHIRE.—Recently looking 
over the volume of the ‘Zoologist’ for 1877, I see that I have not 
recorded the nesting of a pair of Honey Buzzards in that year; I do so 
now, extracting a few particulars from the notes I made at the time. The 
nest was built in the fork of a lofty oak in the middle of an extensive 
wood at Whitfield, about seven miles from this city; it was an immense 
structure, from five to six feet in diameter, and was formed of sticks, some 
of considerable size ; it was a matter of surprise how the birds carried 
many of them; the lining appeared to be composed of leaves only ; two 
eggs were laid. At the end of July the young ones were taken from the 
