PIED WAGTAIL 107 



There is no doubt that the nest and eggs of the two 

 Pied Wagtails are so aHke that it requires careful observa- 

 tion of the adult birds to identify the eggs. 



PIED WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla lugiihris, Teinminck. Mcui. cVOrn., i., 

 p. 253 (1820). 



Dishwasher, Peggy Dishwasher ; 

 White Water Wagtail, Boys, 1792. 



The Pied Wagtail is one of the most abundant of the 

 several species of Wagtails throughout the county, and 

 it may be seen generally in pairs near all our large lakes, 

 ponds, ditches, and country roads in the vicinity of 

 water. 



The curious nesting habits of this bird are very variable, 

 and it is uncertain where the nest is to be found, for 

 many are placed in the least likely situations one would 

 look for it. One was found in the ivy on the front of 

 a house close to a window overlooking the lawn, a long 

 way from any water. 



Mr. T. Hepburn, in his notes on this species at 

 Dungeness, says it is " common near the fishermen's 

 or coastguards' cottages and farm buildings. Eather 

 a favourite nesting place for them was amongst the 

 stacks of fish-boxes near the coast." 



A nest was found by Mr. H. Lamb in a heap of stones 

 at Barming. 



This Wagtail, unlike its near ally the White Wagtail, 

 is distributed far inland, and not confined to the sea- 

 coast, or the large rivers. 



