122 



GREY AVAGTAIL. 



"WINTER WAGTAIL. YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



PLATE LXV. 



Motacilla sulphurea, 

 Motacilla cinerea, 

 Motacilla hoarula, 

 Motacilla melanoma, 



Bechstein. 

 Eat. 



Pennant. Montagu. 

 Gmelin. 



The nest is generally placed on the ground, among 

 grass or stones, in the hollow of a bank or rock, usually 

 near the borders of a stream, but not always, for it 

 has sometimes been met with at a distance from water. 

 One pair has been known to build in a spout, and the 

 following year on a shelf in an outhouse, to which a 

 broken pane of glass gave them ingress; and again, on 

 the window sill of a dairy, near the previous one. 

 Another pair built their nest between the "switches" 

 of a railway, within two or three inches of every train 

 that passed. It is formed of small fibres and roots, moss 

 and grass, and is lined with wool, hair, or feathers. 



The eggs are from five to six, or even eight in 

 number, greyish or yellowish white, mottled with light 

 brown and grey. They vary in depth of colouring, 

 some being nearly cream white, and others nearly pale 

 yellowish brown: they are of a short oval shape. 



