68 
BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
siderable numbers in »Sept., 1886, counting between forty and fifty in one small 
grass-field. 
GrREY WAGrTAIL. Motaailla melanope (Pallas). 
“ Winter- Wagtail.” 
A winter migrant, sparingly distributed, and not recorded as remaining 
to breed in the counties. — Mentioned by Mr. Babington (see ‘Potter’). Harley 
truly remarked : — “ Unlike its congeners, the Grrey Wagtail is a winter- 
migrant, seldom making its appearance much before October.” He observed 
that, in seasons of deep snow, it haunted the Deer-sheds in Bradgate Park, 
running amongst the herd, and chasing with much agility the few winged 
insects which haunted such spots. The Museum possesses one shot by Mr. 
W. ]M. Squires at Aylestone, in the spring of 1867. Mr. Gr. H. Storer pro- 
cured one (a female) on the Hinckley Road, on 22nd Sept., 1884, and states 
that it was accompanied by a male. He also writes me : — “ I saw a fine male 
at the Trout stream, Bradgate Park, June 29th, 188J ; the black patch upon 
the throat was very marked. You may rely upon this being correct, as I am 
well acquainted with the Grrey Wagtail in Co. Cavan, Ireland, where, next to 
the Pied, it is the commonest species, commonly breeding.” I shot one (a 
female) at Knighton, on 22nd Nov., 1884. In late years it appears to have 
been comparatively abundant in this county, probably owing to the greater 
number of observers. Mr. W. A. Evans shot a fine male on 7th Oct., 1885, 
close to the “ North End,” Ijeicester ; on the 28th he shot a male at the 
same place, and, on the same day, a female in the Borough Yard, Soar Lane, 
Leicester; and again, on 22nd Jan., 1886, a female at “Freake’s Ground,” 
all of which he presented to the Museum. On 14th Feb., 1887, Mr. Evans 
saw one in Soar Lane, and again on 20th Oct., and remarks that, in his 
opinion, the Grey Wagtail deserves the name of Water Wagtail more than 
any of the others, as he has never seen it settle more than a few yards from 
some piece of water, and in this remark I think he is justified. I saw one 
quite close to me, perched on a small willow near Aylestone, on 5th Nov., 
1885; and, on 11th Dec., 1885, I saw a fine specimen (apparently a male) in 
the same field at Knighton where I had shot one the year before. During 
severe weather, on 8th March, 1886, whilst looking over the bridge which 
spans the Borough boundary brook on the Aylestone Road, close to some houses, 
I saw a fine male specimen fly up just under me. Mr. Davenport states that 
he saw one at Galby on 25th Oct., 1887. On 26th Oct., 1887, I saw two at 
Aylestone, one of which (a female) I shot. The last I saw was on 14th Dec., 
1888, at the Aylestone Mill. 
In Rutland. — A winter migrant, sparingly distributed. — Mr. Horn obtained 
a specimen about Nov., 1884, and states that he saw one at Liddington, 
1.3th Feb., 1886, and several pairs in the autumn of 1887. 
