THE SINGING BIRDS. 289 



THE COW OR MEADOW WAGTAIL. 



The Cow or Meadow Wagtail {Budytes flavics) is blueish grey upon the head and nape, the 

 back is olive-green, and under side bright yellow, the quills and tail are of a blackish hue, with light 

 borders ; a pale stripe passes above the eyes, and two yellow lines across the wings ; in the female 

 and young all the colours are fainter and greyer than in the male bird. The eye of all is dark brown, 

 the beak black, the base of the lower mandible light blue, and the foot black. 



The Meadow Wagtail is generally found in the central and northern parts of Europe ; it 

 frequents meadows and the banks of small streams, and feeds principally upon flies and aquatic 

 insects. The nest is built in holes in meadow ground, or at the foot of trees ; the eggs are six in 

 number, with light flesh-coloured blotches. Gould supposes these birds, although not visiting 

 England, to be numerous on the Continent. He received one that he tells us was shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris, and in May specimens were killed in Sweden by N. C. Strickland, Esq. 

 From the account of this gentleman, their manners are very different from those of our Yellow 

 Wagtail, as they run about with the tail elevated, and the wings hanging down and spread. We have 

 also received the bird from the Himalaya Mountains. The first British specimen was shot near 

 Colchester by Mr. Henry Doubleday, who was attracted by observing a pair of birds together, long 

 after the time that our Common Yellow Wagtail leaves the country. In 1836 two were seen near 

 Edinburgh, and others have since been seen at intervals in different parts of England. 



RAY'S WAGTAIL. 



Ray's Wagtail {Motadlla or Budytes Ray*) — the Yellow Wagtail, formerly called Molatilla /lava 

 — so well known as a summer visitant to England, is very rare on the continent of Europe, where 

 the preceding species, called by Continental authors Motadlla Jlava, is found. Mr. Gould was the 

 first to point out the difference between the two, and to assign to the British species the name of 

 Ray's Wagtail, in memory of the distinguished naturalist by whom it was first observed. 



" In Ray's Wagtail," says Yarrell, " the line over the eyes and ear-covers is yellow, and the back 

 of the head is, I believe, invariably the same as the back of the bird ; while, in die Grey-headed 

 Wagtail, or Continental species, the white elongated line over the eyes and ear-covers appears to be 

 permanent, and the grey head is more or less conspicuous at all seasons, particularly in summer. 

 The females of the two species most resemble each other. 



The Yellow Wagtail (B. Rayi) comes to us from the south, appearing at the end of March 

 or beginning of April, and leaving us in September. It frequents ploughed fields and uncultivated 

 ground covered with furze ; it makes its nest both in arable land and fields of wheat and tares, and 

 does not appear so partial to water as other species. " It frequents," says Mr. Yarrell, " dry 

 fallows and fields of young corn, where, perched upon a clod or stone, it exhibits its rich yellow 

 breast to great advantage." The nest, which is placed upon the ground, is formed of dry stalks and 

 fibres, and lined with hair. The eggs, from four to six in number, somewhat resemble those of the 

 Sedge Warbler ; they are of a whitish hue, mottled with various shades of brown. The young begin 

 to fly about the end of May, and from that time till the season for migration, may be seen following 

 their parents in search of food, keeping so close to the feet of cattle and sheep as to be in constant 

 danger. A writer quoted by Mr. Yarrell says, " I have seen whole parties of Yellow Wagtails 

 running and dodging close to the cows' heads, apparently catching small insects. I suppose the 

 cattle disturbed the flies which are the favourite food of this bird, and lodge in the grass, and which, 

 as they arose, were caught by the watchful Wagtail, before they could secure their retreat. The 

 call-note of this bird resembles that of other species, although more shrill than that of the White 

 vol. 11. — 76 



