WHITE WAGTAIL 
Motacilla alba 
Crown of head and nape dark grey or black, upper plumage 
delicate grey, wings brownish, some of the feathers edged 
with white; tail dark-brownish, two outer feathers on each 
side white ; forehead, most of the cheek and under-parts white, 
black collar, legs and bill black, eyes brown. Length, 7 inches. 
I Have pictured this particular Wagtail as it is 
perhaps the commonest of all, but there are several 
other kinds that at certain seasons might dispute 
the point and run it very close. It is very similar, 
superficially, to the familiar Pied Wagtail, but is 
greyer, less positively black and white, and might 
well be called the Grey rather than the White 
Wagtail. In the winter months, in Egypt, at 
whatever part of the country, north or south, you 
may be, you will see Wagtails of some sort or 
another busily chasing flies with ever - restless 
activity, and the numbers that there must be of 
this most useful bird is past all computation. 
Wagtails are peculiar in that they are about the 
smallest birds that really walk and run. All other 
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