[Illustration: GREY WAGTAIL.]
Motacilla Boarula, LINNÆUS; La Bergeronette, BUFFON; Die graue
Bachstelze, BECHSTEIN.
This beautiful species, like the preceding, is seven inches in length,
of which the tail alone measures four. The beak is black; the iris
brown; the legs, nine lines high, dark flesh-coloured; the upper part of
the body, including the lesser wing-coverts, dark ash-grey; the head
slightly tinted with olive, and the rump a fine yellow green; there is a
white streak above the eyes, and another, beginning at the inferior base
of the beak, descends the sides of the neck, whilst a black streak
extends from the superior base as far as the eyes; the chin and throat
are black, but the breast and under part of the body are of the finest
yellow.
The throat of the female is not black, but pale orange; her colours are
generally less bright.
Males a year or two old are without the fine black throat; it is clouded
with white.
HABITATION.--In their wild state, these wagtails are found throughout
Europe; but in the greatest number in mountainous and wooded parts,
where the brooks flow over beds of pebbles. They are birds of
passage, and return amongst us the end of February or beginning of
March. A few have been observed to remain during mild winters, when
they take up their abode near dunghills or warm springs.
In the house they should be kept in a nightingale's cage, and treated
like one; they are so delicate, that with the greatest care they can
rarely be preserved two years.
FOOD.--When wild they prefer aquatic insects, and are continually
chasing them among the plants and stones by the water-side.
In the house they should be fed on the same food as the nightingale,
to which they may be gradually accustomed, by throwing amongst it
meal-worms and ants' eggs.
BREEDING.--Their nests, placed by the water-side, in mill-dikes, or
heaps of stones, are formed with rather more art than those of the
preceding species. They begin to lay as early as March, five or six
white eggs, mottled with flesh-colour. The young ones must be reared
on ants' eggs and the crumb of white bread, soaked in boiled milk.
MODE OF TAKING.--This is very simple; it is only to plant sticks with
limed twigs and meal-worms attached to them, on the banks, or in the
middle of a stream which they frequent; you will not have to wait
long before some are caught.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--They are as pleasing as the common wagtail; but
their plumage is more brilliant, and their voice stronger. Their
beautiful clear trilling sound renders their song agreeable, though
rather short.