PASSERINE. 11)3 



The \VATER-"WAGTArLS {Motacilla, Ciiv.) — • 

 Have a comparatively short and curved hind claw, and frequent the borders of water. 



Tliat of Franre {Mot. alba and clnerea, Lin.), is grey above, white below, with tbe occiput, throat, and breast, 

 black, ['llie throat white in winter. It has not yet been re;^nytered as an inhabitant of Britain. 



The common Jiritish "\Va<;:tail {M. Yarrellii, Gould), appears to be of rare occurrence on the Continent of Europe. 

 It is somewhat laro;er, and has a black back in summer. 



Another species, common in the north of Britain, visits the southern counties in winter— the Yellow-rumped 

 AVagtail (il/. /^ortz-Wa, Lin.)— It is i[frey above, Avith a very long tail, the outer feathers of which are white; under 

 parts and rump bri^^^ht citron-yellow, with a black throat in summer]. 



Another in the south of Europe resembles the common French AVa,c;tail when young;, but acquires a black Ijack 

 with ajje, the M. luyubrla, Roux. [It is larp;er than any of the others.] 



The Field-Wagtails {Bndytea, Cuv.) — , 

 With the general characters of the preceding, possess a long and almost straight hind-claw, which 

 approximates them to the Pipits. [The tail is shorter, and style of colouring different.] They fre- 

 quent pastures, and pursue insects among the cattle, [as do also the others]. 



The most common is the Grey-headed Field-Wagtail {Mot.fava, Lin.).— Bluish ash-colour on the head, olive on 

 the back, bright yellow below, with an eye-streak and two-thirds of the lateral tail-feathers white. [It is very rare 

 in Britain, where it is replaced by another species, 



The iV. negU'cta, Gould, the head of which is yellow-olive, ver}^ bright in old males after the vernal moult, and 

 the eye-streak intense yellow. It is much more seldom seen in watery situations than tlie preceding, and is rare 

 on the Continent. Tlie females of both are pale, or even dull white underneath, and the males in winter plumage 

 have a reddish tinge on the lower parts, the young males not acquiring the yellow colour before the spring. 

 Neither of them has any song, in which they difl'er from the Water-wagtails. 



The Pipits {AntJivs, Bechstein) — 

 \Ycre long classed with the Larks on account of their long hind-claw, [and the resemhlnnce of the 

 colours, although not the texture, of their plumage], but their more slender and notched hill approxi- 

 mates them to the other Bec-fns.'^- [They have absolutely the same form as the Field-wagtails, from 

 which they differ only in their colours, and their habit of singing on the ^ving. ] 



Such as have a moderately curved hind-claw retain the faculty of perching. [The others do so, 

 only rather less habitually.] 



Tlie Tree Pipit {A. orborens, Bechst.)— Streaked olive-brown above, paler underneath, with longitudinal dark 

 spots on the breast ; two pale transversal bands on ench wing. [A migrator)' species, and very sweet songster, of 

 common occurrence in Britain. It generally rises singing from tlie ground, and after attaining a certain height, sails 

 descending to the summit of a tree; then rises from the tree, and descends singing to the ground. Its carriage, 

 and general character, as seen alive, are very different from those of the others.] 

 Others have the long hind-claw of the Larks, and keep more on the ground. As 



The Common Pipit (Alaiida prafeiisis, Gm.) — [More slender than the preceding, and neaily of the same colour 

 in winter, but less fulvous or olivaceous in summer. It is extremely common throughout Europe, inhabiting 

 mountain moors, and lowland heaths and marsh(;s, even to the sea-side. Frequently ascends singing into the 

 air, but less musically than the preceding. 



The Shore Pipit (Anfh. aqua/ict/.f, Naum) is larger and darker-coloured, with a proportionally greater bill. This 

 species abounds on the sea-coast, and is very rarely met with inland. Is a superior songster to the last. 



The Great Pipit (A. Richardi, Vieillot). — An accidental straggler only in this countr\", but seldom met with. Is 

 much larger than the others, and coloured like A. prateiiais. There are several more, of which three inhabit 

 Europe. 



The Wa2:tails and Pij'its compose a veiw insulated and distinct group, all the members (if which are ambulatory 

 in their mode of progression, and moult twice in the year. The young resemble or differ little from the adults, 

 having a very dissimilar nestling dress from that of the Larks, to which they havei)een very generally, but erro- 

 neously, approximated]. 



We terminate this family of the Dentlrostres with some birds which differ from all the 

 foreo-oing, by having their two external toes connected as far as the second joint, a chai-actcr 

 wherein they resemble the family of Syndactyli. 



The Manakins (Pipra, Lin.) — 

 Have a compressed hill, higher than broad, emarginated, with great nasal fossae. Their tail and limhs 



* Tlie .lutlior eiiouciiQsly 3t/\tc3, in ttie original, tlinl the fonii of llie wing ilislingaishcs ihcm frum tlic Wng^tails.— Ei>. 



O 



