490 SPRING WAGTAIL. 



This species is about the size of a thrush; length eight inches ; bill 

 dusky, reddish at the base ; the upper parts of the birds are of a greenish 

 brown, marked with dusky spots on the head, of a longish form ; these 

 increase on the neck to the back, where they are much larger ; the 

 rump plain ; the shoulders and wings marked with the same colour, 

 but the spots are transverse ; the under side of the body is white, 

 marked with dusky spots; the two middle tail-feathers greenish brown, 

 the others white, crossed with dusky lines ; legs dull flesh colour. The 

 female has none of the spots underneath, except on the throat. 



In the British Zoology, it is said that the spots on the upper parts 

 are of a triangular form and black. Said to inhabit North America, 

 and to breed in Pensylvania and Hudson's Bay. 



SPOTTED SNIPE.— A name for the Barker. 



SPRAT LOON.— A name for the Young Cobble. 



SPRING WAGTAIL (Budytes flava, Cuvier.) 



* Motacilla flava, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 331. 12.— Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 504. sp. 8.— 

 Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 963.— Motacilla verna, Briss. 3. p. 468. 40.— Motacilla chry- 

 sogastra, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 3. p. 446. — Bergeronette de Printemps, Buff. 

 Ois. 5. p. 265. t. 14. f. 1.— Ib. pi. Enl. 674. f. 2.— Bergeronette printaniere, 

 Temm. Man. d'Orn. 1. p. 260 — Gelbe Bachstelze, Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 

 I. p. 219. — Ib. Vbg. Deut. Heft. 10. the male and female. — Geele Kwikstaart, 

 Sepp. Nederl. Vbg. 2. p. 103.— Yellow Wagtail, Br. Zool. 1. No. 143.— Arct. 



Zool. 2. p. 396. F Will. (Angl.) p. 238. t. 68.— Edw. t. 258.— Lewin's Br. 



Birds, 3. t. 97— Lath. Syn. 4. p. 400. 6.— Ib. Supp.p. 179.— Mont. Orn. Diet. 

 Ib. Supp.— Pnlt. Cat. Dorset, p. 8.— Bewick's Br. Birds, 1. t. p. 198.— Flem. 

 Br. Anim. p. 74.— Selby, pi. 49. fig. 3. p. 211.* 



Provincial — Summer Wagtail. Oat-seed Bird. 



Weight about five drams ; length six inches and a half ; the bill is 

 black ; irides hazel ; the upper part of the head and back of the neck 

 pale olive green ; back, scapulars, rump, and wing coverts, of the same 

 colour, but darker; the whole under parts from chin to vent, full bright 

 yellow ; the coverts of the ears, like the upper part of the head ; over 

 the eye a yellow streak ; quill-feathers dusky, those next the body, and 

 the greater coverts, edged with yellowish white ; tail dusky, the two 

 middle feathers dashed with olive, two outer feathers on each side 

 white full half way from the end of the second feather, and running 

 obliquely upwards, leaves the outer web of the first entirely white; legs 

 black ; hind claw very long, and but little curved. The female is less 

 bright in colour, the yellow underneath in some appearing almost white 

 at a little distance. 



There appears no doubt but many authors have confounded this 

 species with the grey wagtail, which we have remarked more fully in 

 the history of that bird. 



The male of this species, it is said, possesses a few black spots on 

 the throat, but such a mark we have never observed in more than a 



