File:Coloured illustrations of British birds, and their eggs (1844) (14564046569).jpg

Identifier: colouredillustra21844meye (find matches)
Title: Coloured illustrations of British birds, and their eggs
Year: 1842 (1840s)
Authors: Meyer, H. L. (Henry Leonard), d. 1864 Meyer, H. L. (Henry Leonard), d. 1864. Illustrations of British birds Rutter, Daniel, former owner. DSI Rolle, Mark, former owner. DSI S. & J. Bentley, Wilson & Fley, printer S. & J. Bentley and Henry Fley, printer
Subjects: Birds Birds Birds Taxidermists Birds
Publisher: London : G.W. Nickisson
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
as well as more beautiful in its plumage. It appears,also, more decidedly a frequenter of river sides, at least suchare its habits in winter, at which season these birds are foundwith tolerable frequency on the banks of the Thames andits tributary streams, where they may be seen standing uponthe clods of turf, or little islets of shingle that appear abovethe rippling water, or Avading into the stream in search offood. Their flight is remarkably light, owing to their slenderforms and lengthened tails. These birds are consideredto be permanent residents in this country, without migratingto or from it, and such is probably the truth. Yet limitedmigrations from north to south take place, and it is thegeneral impression that this species inhabits chiefly thenorthern parts of England in the summer, and the southernparts in the winter ; but this, although probably true of thegreater number, does not apply to all, as instances have beenfrequently recorded of its remaining during summer in the
Text Appearing After Image:
PL. 86 GREY WAGTAIL. 215 most southern counties to breed. If we may hazard anopinion on the subject, in support of which we can at presentoffer no proof, it is, that when this species appears in springto retire from the south, it does not leave us on so distanta journey as is usually supposed, but on abandoning the lowand sheltered river sides, where it has passed the winter,it only retreats to upland and hilly, or more wild and unfre-quented spots, where it can in greater safety rear its young.A communication which appeared in a late number of the Zoologist, from the pen of J. Heppenstall, Esq., ofUpperthorpe, near Sheffield, seems to confirm this suppo-sition. The Grey Wagtail, (M. boarula,y says that gen-tleman, resides with us all the year; in the winter seasonit is to be found along every brook, and even on the banksof the rivers Sheaf and Don, in the middle of our populoustown, then, of course, in its plainer plumage. In the begin-ning of April it acquires its black throat, and

Note About Images