on the Migration of Birds* 1 5 



JVater Wagiaih 

 The water wagtail mod certainly remains with us during the 

 winter. I had three during this whole winter ahout the hot-houfes 

 and green-houfe, catching' flies in warm days; but in cold weather 

 they get' down to the river, and eat the infects on the weeds which 

 appear when the water is turned out of its courfe to water the 

 meadows. I have feen all my life-time as many water wagtails 

 in the winter as in fummer ; in the former at the river, and the latter 

 about the houfes* 



You may depend on the truth of the above account ; and I 

 have nothing more to add, but that my obfervations on the other 

 birds you mention totally agree with yours. 



I am, Sir, with great refpceT, 



Your obedient Servant, 



EDMUND LAMBERT; 



Boyton, near- Heyiejlury, Wilts, 



I forgot to mention the rook's antipathy (as you obferve) to the 

 raven. The truth is, a raven will not fufFer any bird to come 

 within a quarter of a mile of its neft, being very fierce in defendino- 

 it. Befides, they take the young rooks out of their neft to feed 

 their own. This I was an eye-witnefs to at Mr. Seymer's ; for there 

 was no peace in the rookery night nor day, till one of the old ravens 

 was killed and the neft deftroyed. A raven has built in a large 

 beech tree of mine time out of mind. I can trace it back above an 

 hundred years. The tree is fuppofed to meafure at leaft feven tons. 



V. Account 



