MOTACILLID^. 39 



We have ourselves observed the White Wagtail several times near 

 Exeter, and early in March near Exmouth. There is reason to believe a 

 pair bred annually for many years in a pigeon-hole in the wall of a stable 

 near Topsham (W. D'U.). 



This, the true continental Pied Wagtail, is only a summer visitant to 

 this country, and never strays very far from the part of the coast on 

 which it has first landed. We have frequently seen it in North Devon in 

 the spring and summer. Our friend the late Mr. W. Brodrick, duriug the 

 time he resided at Ilfracombe, was one day attracted by a flock of pied 

 Wagtails on the beach at Wildersmouth, whose tired gestures evidently 

 announced that they had just arrived from a journey. This was at the 

 beginning of May, and Mr. lirodrick had no doubt about their all being 

 the continental Motacilla alba. Later on in the same summer (1860, we 

 think) the same gentleman observed a pair of these birds frequenting a 

 wall near Morte, in which he was pretty certain they had their nest. 

 (M.A.M.) 



Six males were seen on Xortham Burrows in April 1871 (M. B. C. R., 

 Zool. 1871, p. 2608). 



Pied Wagtail. Motacilla lugubris, Temm. 



[Dish-washer, Ditch-washer, Ditch-watcher, Dish-wash, Lady White 

 Dishes : Bev. " Dish-washer " is probably a contraction of 

 Ditch-watcher.] 



Resident, generally distributed and abundant. Breeds. 



The Pied Wagtail is seen throughout the year, but is especially nume- 

 rous in spring and autumn, when there is a great immigration, and large 

 flocks are observed at the latter season arriving on the north coast 

 (H. A. £., Zool. 1883, p. 469), and congregating near the south coast. 

 Immense numbers roost amongst the "spires'' or reeds on the "lick- 

 beds,"' or mud-banks, above Topsham, on the Exe, in August and September. 

 Large flocks assemble near Plymouth in August (E. M., Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 1837, p. 176). Mr. H. Stevenson observed a large arrival of these birds 

 on March 2Uth, 1850, on the south coast (Zool. 1860, p. 6797), and 

 wo noticed a flock near Exmouth on March 4th, 1890. 



The Pied AV^igtail is tlio En^^lish form of the preceding species, with 

 which it is said to have interbred in this country. In Sepleraber Ave have 

 watched little flocks of this species at Ilfracombe passing along the coast 

 one after the other on tlieir migration, and keeping just at the edge of the 

 clifts. We have an adult from Tui-fjuay in spring plumage whicli lias the 

 white of the forehead deeply tinged with carmine. Other small land- 

 birds which we have received from this part of the county had also 

 occasionally a pinkish tingo on their plumage, possibly due to dusting 

 tliemselves in the fine red soil whicli comes from the disintegrated red 

 sandstones. (M. A. M.) 



Mr. Henry NichoUs, of Kingsbridgc, possesses a nearly pure whito 

 specimen. 



