motacilla

What was generally made use of consisted of vervain, tenia, and hippomanes; or a small portion of the secundine of a mare that had just foaled, together with a little bird called wagtail; in Latin motacilla.

A Philosophical Dictionary 2007

I might add to these the blue bird, motacilla fialis, mock bird, turdus polyglottos, and sometimes the robin readbreast, turdus migratorius, in extraordinary warm winters, and although I do not pretend to assert as a known truth, yet it may be found on future observation

Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. 1823

IT is a matter of enquiry, who should have induced the zoologists to class this bird with the motacilla, when they discover no one characteristic to induce such an alliance.

Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. 1823

THE yellow breasted chat (oenanthe, Cat. motacilla trochilus, Linn.) is in many instances a very singular bird; the variableness and mimickry of his notes or speech, imitating various creatures; and a surprising faculty of uttering a coarse, hollow sounding noise in their throats or crops, which at times seems to be at a great distance, though uttered by a bird very near, and vice versa.

Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. 1823

There are also three or four small birds, one of which is of the thrush kind; and another small one, with a pretty long tail, has part of the head and neck of a most beautiful azure colour; from whence we named it _motacilla cyanea_.

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 15 Forming A Complete History Of The Origin And Progress Of Navigation, Discovery, And Commerce, By Sea And Land, From The Earliest Ages To The Present Time Robert Kerr 1784

Linnaeus might with great propriety have put it into his genus of _motacilla_; and _motacilla salicaria_ of his _fauna suecica_ seems to come the nearest to it.

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 1 Gilbert White 1756

I perceive there are more than one species of the _motacilla trochilus_.

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 1 Gilbert White 1756

Mr. Stillingfleet makes a question whether the blackcap (_motacilla atricapilla_) be a bird of passage or not: I think there is no doubt of it: for, in April, in the first fine weather, they come trooping, all at once, into these parts, but are never seen in the winter.

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 1 Gilbert White 1756

A little yellow bird (it is either a species of the _alauda trivialis_, or rather perhaps of the _motacilla trochilus_) still continues to make a sibilous shivering noise in the tops of tall woods.

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 1 Gilbert White 1756

THEY seem to be a tribe of birds seperated by nature from the motacilla, with which the zoologists have classed them, and appear allied to a tribe peculiar to America, to which Edwards has given the name of manakin: in their nature they seem to take place between the thrush (turdus) and motacilla, their beak being longer, stronger and straiter than the motacilla, and formed for eating fruit, which is their chief food, yet they will feed on reptile insects, but never attempt to take their prey on the wing.

Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. 1823