THE GRAY WAGTAIL 77 



time to its sharp call -note of chiz-it, it warily watches your 

 movements. 



There is something about the Gray Wagtail singularly in 

 harmony with the roaring stream ; its actions are so graceful, 

 and it lends life to those districts where birds are not par- 

 ticularly plentiful. A habit of the Gray Wagtail which the 

 observer will not fail to notice is its perching in trees. It is 

 more of a tree bird than any other Wagtail, and may be 

 seen repeatedly fiying up into the alders, where it is as much 

 at home amongst the branches as on the stones. I have 

 often watched this charming little bird running daintily along 

 the broad horizontal limbs of the trees near the stream, and 

 have occasionally seen it perch on the low bushes by the 

 water- side. 



Although the Gray Wagtail is a resident in this country 

 throughout the year, it changes its place of abode with the 

 season. In spring and summer it lives on the upland waters, 

 but at the approach of winter it comes lower down the valleys 

 and into the more cultivated districts, often following the 

 course of the river until it reaches the sea, where it may 

 sometimes be observed catching flies on the beach. During 

 winter the Gray Wagtail often keeps in little parties, probably 

 the birds of the previous season and their parents. These 

 parties are occasionally joined by one or two Pied Wagtails ; 

 but as the Gray Wagtails are seldom found far from running 

 water, they are most frequently seen by themselves. In 

 winter the Gray Wagtail loses much of its summer wariness, 

 and in hard weather comes quite close to houses : I have often 

 seen it on the banks of a river in the heart of a busy town. 

 ]^o matter how severe the weather may be, we never find the 

 Gray Wagtail on ploughed fields or pastures. If the stream 

 freezes the bird seeks out a more congenial haunt elsewhere, 

 returning when the frost is gone. It is much attached to its 

 haunts — in summer we see the same birds back again on 



