MOTACILLA FLAVA. 



YELLOW WAGTAIL, 



Generic Character. See Motacilla vulgaris. 

 Synonyms. 



Motacilla Flava. Lin, Syfl. i. f. 33. 12. Ind. 



Orn, 2. p. 504. 8. 

 r^ELLOw Wagtail. Br. ZooL t. 143. Ik fol. 10^, 



Arci. ZooL 2. p. 396. tah, F, Lath, 



Syn, 4^. p, 400. 6. Ib.fupt. p. 179. 

 ' M?;?/. Or/z. £)/i5. Vol. 2. Bewick's 



Br. Birds, Pt. u p. 206. 



JL HI S delicate lively bird is feven inches in length, nine 

 and a half in breadth, and weighs about ten drams. Bill 

 lharp-pointed, having a notch in the upper mandible near the 

 tip ; irides dark hazel ; legs and claws flender, the hind claw 

 nearly ftraight, about twice the length of the others. The 

 colours of both fexes are difpofed alike, but thofe of the 

 \ female are lefs lively than in the male. 



In elegance of fhape, delicacy of colour, and livelinefs of 

 manners, this bird is perhaps unef^^ualled ; it is the moft com- 

 mon of the genus in many parts of this country, and is readily 

 'diflinguifhed from the other fpecies by its flight, which is not 



fo 



