GEEY-BACKED WAGTAIL. 



MOTACILLA ALBA, Linn. 



Motacilla alba, Linn. S. N. i. p. 331 (1766) ■ Naum. iii. 

 p. 803 ; Macg. ii. p. 2,21 ; Hewitson, i. p. 165 ; Yarr. 

 ed. 4, i. p. 5i8; Dresser, iii. p. 233. 



Lavandiere, Hochequeue grise, French ; Weisse Bachstelze, 

 German ; Agua nieves, Lavandera, Pispita, Spanish. 



A common summer visitor to England, especially to 

 the eastern and southern counties. This is the prevalent 

 form of Pied Wagtail on the continent of Europe, and 

 exactly resembles our Common English Wagtail in 

 habits and note. 



I found these Grey-backed Wagtails more common at 

 Dover in the summer of 1853 than the other race, and 

 have excellent reason for feeling certain that the two 

 forms often interbreed ; but, as a general rule, this 

 Grey-backed bird leaves us in winter, whilst the 

 Common Wagtail frequently remains in sheltered situa- 

 tions favourable to the winter existence of insects. 



