112 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



they dropped with one accord to rest in a small patch of rushy- 

 land. A large proportion of individuals thus migrate across 

 country, while their fellows follow the western coast-line in their 

 southern journey. 



GREY WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla melanope, Pall. 



The Grey Wagtail is a common bird in Lakeland, nesting on 

 the Kent, the Duddon, the Gelt, the Caldew, and most of our 

 rivers, generally in the haunts of the Water Ouzel. The nest 

 is constructed in a variety of situations, in a hole in a stone wall, 

 in a tree root, or in some niche of rock close beside the salmon 

 pool. Dry stems, a few fine roots, and a little horse hair, with 

 us generally white, made up the materials of all the nests that 

 I have myself seen. Anxious and fearful of intrusion are the 

 old Grey Wagtails, perching with a pretty concern in the nearest 

 trees, if their eggs be examined in their view. Individuals pass 

 the winter in the central and western districts of Lakeland, but 

 this Wagtail is chiefly a summer visitant. 



YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla rail (Bp. ). 



Dr. Gough included this Wagtail as 'common' at Kendal, an 

 error, in my opinion, since Ray's Wagtail is a decidedly scarce 

 summer visitant to Lakeland. It is true that Thompson met 

 with it both at Ha wes- water and at Windermere in July 1835, 

 but Mr. Cordeaux, an equally good observer, never met with the 

 bird at all during three weeks spent at Grasmere. A few pairs 

 breed sporadically in Cumberland. One pair nested this year 

 [1891] at Monkhill Lough, and another reared their young on 

 a piece of rough ground just outside the Goods Station at Car- 

 lisle ; but it never occurs in any numbers, not even on migration. 

 The Messrs. Mann, who are well acquainted with this species, 

 closely observed a belated Yellow Wagtail in their farm-yard, 

 on the unusually late date of November 27th. We searched for 

 it together the following day, but it had left. They were quite 



