96 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



jumping at the flies crawling on the inner side of the window 

 panes. The note is rather loud and harsh, but cheerful. 



The Grey Wagtail generally places its nest in a hole in 

 the bank of a rocky stream, or a wall, or perhaps in a heap 

 of stones, and it is very similar to that of the Pied Wagtail. 



Mr. Booth, in his ' Rough J^otes,' remarks that in the 

 autumn, winter, and early spring a few remain in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Brighton, resorting to open drains or pools, and 

 in some instances visiting the gardens adjoining the town. 

 Mr. Jeffery, in his P. N., states that he found a nest on the 

 1st of June, 1867, with the young nearly ready to fly, at 

 Burton, near Petworth, 



BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla flava. 



This species is a spring visitant, and by no means abundant. 

 In my own collection I have a female shot by Mr. EUman, 

 May 5th, 1851, between Eastbourne and Pevensey, and a 

 male, shot at Hove, April 18th, 1866, as well as a female 

 obtained about the same time near Eastbourne. In 1859 

 I saw, at Mr. Pratt's, two male specimens which had been 

 shot on the 25th and 27th of April respectively at Hove. 



The Blue-headed Wagtail is said to nest on the ground in 

 corn-fields and meadows. Mr. Booth says that the bird may 

 be met with every spring, along the coast of Sussex ; that 

 he is well acquainted with certain spots about a mile from 

 the sea-coast, between Brighton and Shoreham, where a pair 

 or two may be found at almost any time during May ; and 

 that he has little doubt that it breeds not uncommonly 

 within a few miles of Brighton. He observes that he has 



