THE (JHEY WAGTAIL. 
8:j 
THE (iEEY. WAGTAI L. 
Motacilla hoarida. 
Of this species Thomas Edmondston merely remarks, “A few 
pairs breed,” though from whence his information was derived 
it would be a difficult matter to imagine. It usually arrives in 
August and September, in very small numbers, and in various 
parts of the islands, but 1 have observed it both earlier and 
later. During its short stay, it seldom strays far from the 
beach, feeding chiefly upon small marine univalves and flies. 
It is perhaps in order to obtain the latter that the bird frequents 
lee places upon the shore, fully exposed to the warmth of the 
sun. In pursuit of these flies it displays great activity, run- 
ning swiftly, and catching them as they skim above the ground ; 
sometimes, though very seldom, rising upon wing to take one 
which would otherwise be out of reach. It usually appears 
after a stiff breeze from the south or south-west ; but whether 
this drives it from the south, or detains it upon its way from 
the north, yet remains to be determined. The latter can 
scarcely be the case, for Y'arrell observes that “ this species has 
no very high northern range, never appearing in Denmark, 
Norway, or Sweden,” nor is it included in Professor Newton’s 
'' Catalogue of the Birds of Iceland.” Neither this species nor 
M. Yarrellii appears in Captain Feilden’s account of the Birds 
of Faroe. 
THE GKEY-HEADED WAGTAIL. 
Motacilla flaxa. 
This has been seen by me several times late in autumn, but 
it appears merely as a straggler. I observed one near the Sandy 
Loch, not far from Lerwick, about the middle of October 1870; 
the others were seen in Unst, upon every occasion near a fresh- 
water loch. Although well acquainted with the bird, I thought 
it advisable to shoot one, in order to avoid all chance of future 
controversy. 
