GREY-BACKED WAGTAIL.
MOTACILLA A LBA , Linn.
Motacilla alba, Linn. S. N. i. p. 331 (1766); Naum. iii.
p. 803; Macg. ii. p. 221; Hewitson, i. -p. 165; Yarr.
ed. 4, i. p. 518; Dresser, iii. p. 233.
Lavcmdiere, Hochequeue grise, French; Weisse Bachstelze,
German; Agua nieves, Lavandera, Pispita, Spanish.
A common summer visitor to England, especially to
the eastern and southern counties. This is the prevalent
form of Pied Wagtail on the continent of Europe, and
exactly resembles our Common English Wagtail in
habits and note.
I found these Grey-backed Wagtails more common at
Dover in the summer of 1853 than the other race, and
have excellent reason for feeling certain that the two
forms often interbreed; but, as a general rule, this
Grey-backed bird leaves us in winter, whilst the
Common Wagtail frequently remains in sheltered situations
favourable to the winter existence of insects.
3ACKED WAGTAIL
