PIED WAGTAIL. 397 
identical ; the black back of MW. Yarrellit, bemg grey at 
this season, although never so light as in MJ. alba. An 
additional evidence of their being distinct, (but which 
has, doubtless, contributed to the confusion,) is, that the 
female of our Pied Wagtail never has the back black, as 
in the male, this part, even in summer, being dark grey, 
in which respect it closely resembles the other species.” 
Such are the observations of Mr. Gould, and although 
concurring with him in opinion that these birds are dis- 
tinct, it is intended here to give figures and descriptions, 
as far as requisite, of both birds in their summer and 
winter plumage, to invite investigation on this subject ; 
premising that M. Temminck, in the Supplement to his 
Manual, page 171, refers to Mr. Gould’s figure in the Se- 
cond Part of the Birds of Europe, and also to the co- 
loured lithographic figure in Werner’s Atlas of Illustra- 
tions to the Manual, which, although there called Mota- 
cilla lugubris, is certainly our Pied Wagtail, as represen- 
tations of varieties of Motacilla alba. The Prince of Mu- 
signano has considered our bird distinct from M. alba, and 
has admitted it as a species in his recently published 
Geographical and Comparative List of the Birds of Europe 
and North America. 
The Pied Wagtail of this country, though a very com- 
mon bird, is deservedly admired for the elegance of its 
form, as well as for the activity and airy lightness exhi- 
bited in all its actions. It is ever in motion, running 
with facility by a rapid succession of steps in pursuit of 
its insect food, moving from place to place by short un- 
dulating flights, uttermg a cheerful chirping note while on 
the wing, alighting again on the ground with a sylph-like 
buoyancy, and a graceful fanning motion of the tail from 
which it derives its name. It frequents the vicinity of 
