103 



THE YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla rail (Bonap.). 



Between the 26th of March aud the 10th of April a few 

 individuals of this species were noted in some of the southern 

 and eastern counties, the only inland record being from 

 Leicestershire on the 1st of April. From the 10th to the 

 13th the occurrences, became more numerous and the first 

 marked immigration appears to have commenced on the 

 latter date. By the 16th the species had reached N. Wales, 

 Staffordshire, Derby, Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire, 

 and it seems probable that during the following days further 

 (but unrecorded) arrivals must have taken place on the 

 western half of the south coast. These arrivals, together 

 with another small immigration on the east on the 25th of 

 April, led to an increase in numbers in parts of the area 

 already occupied and to an extension of range in the west 

 and north, a party of males being noted in the Clyde area 

 on the 21st. 



The next immigration commenced on the 28th in Kent, 

 and birds continued to arrive on the south and south-east 

 coasts during the following week, spreading out to the north 

 and north-west in a similar manner to the previous arrivals. 

 By the 16th of May all had apparently settled, down in their 

 breeding-haunts. The first nest with eggs was recorded from 

 Sussex on the 15th, but full clutches were apparently not 

 general till towards the end of the month. 





Chronological Summaey of the Recoeds, 



March 



26th. Dorset. 



55 



27th. Cambridge. 



April 



1st. Leicester. 



