162 
MOTACILLIN^. BUDYTES. 
Grey Wagtail. Yellow Wagtail. 
Motacilla Boarula, Linn. Mant. 527. — Motacilla Boarnla, 
Temm. Man. d’Ornith. i. 257. — Motacilla Boarula, Grey-and- 
Yellow Wagtail, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 235. 
GENUS LII. BUDYTES. QUAKETAIL. 
The Quaketails are distinguished from the Wagtails chiefly 
by having the tail shorter, and the claws less arched and 
longer, that of the hind toe especially being much elongated. 
Bill of moderate length, slender, straight, broader than 
high at the base, compressed toward the end ; upper man- 
dible with the dorsal line slightly declinate at the base, very 
slightly declinato-arcuate toward the end, the ridge narrow 
at the base, the edges slightly inflected, the notches very 
slight, the tip narrow and rounded ; lower mandible with 
the dorsal line straight, the edges inflected, the tip acute. 
Tongue sagittate and papillate at the base, very slender, ta- 
pering to a slit point ; oesophagus of moderate width ; pro- 
ventriculus oblong ; stomach a gizzard of considerable power, 
oblong, compressed, its muscular coat thick, the epithelium i 
dense, and slightly rugous ; intestine short, of moderate | 
width ; coeca very small, cylindrical. Nostrils small, ellip- 
tical, pervious. Eyes of moderate size. Aperture of ear 
large, elliptical. Head ovato-oblong, small, narrow ; neck ; 
rather short; body ovate, slender. Feet of ordinary length, ' 
slender ; tarsus much compressed, with eight anterior scu- 
tella ; toes of moderate length, much compressed, the first 
large, the lateral about equal, the third and fourth united at i 
the base ; claws long, extremely compressed, laterally grooved, | 
slightly arched, that of the hind toe very long. Plumage soft | 
and blended ; bristles extremely small ; wings long, of eigh- 
teen quills, the first three nearly equal, one of the inner se- j 
condaries very long ; tail long, slender, rounded. 
These birds form the transition from the Wagtails to the i 
Pipits, which belong to the family of Alaudinse. They feed | 
on insects and larvae ; frequent open pastures, moist mea- |j 
dows, and ploughed fields, run with great celerity, often pur- 
sue insects on wing, and have a rapid undulated flight. 
