51.  PIED WAGTAIL. Motacilla lugubris, Temminck.  French, “Bergeronette Yarrellii."[11]—­The Pied Wagtail has probably been better known to some of my readers as Motacilla Yarrellii, but, according to the rules of nomenclature before alluded to, Motacilla lugubris of Temminck seems to have superseded the probably better-known name of Motacilla Yarrellii.

For some reason or other the Pied Wagtail has grown much more scarce in Guernsey than it used to be; at one time it was common even about the town, running about by the gutters in the street, and several were generally to be seen on the lawn at Candie.  But this last summer—­that of 1878—­I did not see one about Candie, or indeed anywhere else, except one pair which were breeding near the Vale Church; and when there in November, 1875, I only saw one, and that was near Vazon Bay.  Mr. MacCulloch has also noticed this growing scarcity of the Pied Wagtail, as he writes to me—­“Of late years, for some reason or other, Wagtails of all sorts have become rare.”  In the summer of 1866, however, I found the Pied Wagtail tolerably common.

It is included in Professor Ansted’s list, and marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.

52.  WHITE WAGTAIL. Motacilla alba, Linnaeus.  French, “Lavendiere,” “Hoche-queue grise,” “Bergeronette grise.”—­The White Wagtail is still scarcer than the Pied, but I saw one pair evidently breeding between L’ancresse Road and Grand Havre.  The White Wagtail so much resembles the Pied Wagtail, that it may have been easily overlooked, and may be more common than is generally known.

The fully adult birds may easily be distinguished, especially when in full breeding plumage, as the back of the Pied Wagtail is black, while that of the White Wagtail is grey.  After the autumnal moult, however, the distinction is not quite so easy, as the feathers of the Pied Wagtail are then margined with grey, which rather conceals the colour beneath; but if the feathers are lifted up they will be found to be black under the grey margins.  The young birds of the year, in their first feathers, cannot be distinguished, and the same may be said of the eggs.

The White Wagtail is included in Professor Ansted’s list, but marked as only occurring in Guernsey.  There is no specimen either of the Pied or White Wagtail in the Museum.

53.  GREY WAGTAIL. Motacilla melanope, Pallas.  French, “Bergeronette jaune.”—­The Grey Wagtail is by no means common in the Islands, though it may occasionally remain to breed, as I have seen it both in Guernsey and Sark between the 21st of June and the end of July in 1866, but I have not seen it in any of the Islands during the autumn.  It is, however, no doubt an occasional, though never very numerous, winter visitant, probably more common, however, at this time of year than in the summer, as I have one in winter plumage shot in Guernsey in December, and another in January, 1879, and there is also one in the Museum in winter plumage.