WHITE WAGTAIL. 405 
is stated that 1t inhabits meadows in the vicinity of streams 
of water, villages, and old houses. Its food consists of 
insects of any sort and in any stage of their existence ; the 
nest is placed among grass in meadows, in a fissure of 
decayed buildings or rocks, or under the arch of a bridge, 
where five or six eggs are deposited of a bluish white colour, 
spotted with black. This species is found in summer as far 
north as the Arctic Regions. Professor Nilsson says that it 
appears in Sweden in April, and leaves in October. It is 
spread over the whole of the European continent, and is 
found also on several of the islands of the Mediterranean, 
namely Corfu, Sicily, Malta and Crete. Mr. Gould, in his 
account of this species in his History of the Birds of Europe, 
says, that it is common in Africa and on the high lands of 
India. 
In the adult male in summer the beak is black, the fore- 
head, region of the eyes, and part of the side of the neck as 
low as the wing, pure white ; top of the head, and a square 
patch at the back of the neck, black; the scapularies, all 
the back and upper tail-coverts pearl grey or very light 
ash grey ; wing primaries, tertials, and wing-coverts nearly 
black with broad outer margins of white; the two outside 
tail-feathers on each side white, with a-narrow line of black 
on the immer margin; the other tail-feathers black; the 
chin, neck in front, and the upper part of the breast, 
black; under surface of the body white; legs, toes, and 
claws, black. 
The whole length seven inches and three-eighths ; the 
wing from the anterior bend rather more than three inches : 
and this bird always appears rather smaller than the Pied 
Wagtail. 
The female, according to M. Temminck, has the fore- 
head and cheeks dull white; the black colour at the 
