I04 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



travelling south, usually along the coast, with the more northern 

 emigrants. 



Water Wagtail, and the more vernacular '"' Dish-washer," 

 are descriptive names, for the bird delights in water and loves 

 to paddle in the shallows ; many of the gnats and flies on 

 which it feeds are aquatic. It is constantly to be seen on the 

 bank of a river or stream, the sandy edge of a lake, the muddy 

 margin of a pond, the settling tank in a sewage farm, or in the 

 puddles on the road, running swiftly here and there, leaping 

 into the air or taking a short flight in its hunt for the chiro- 

 nomid gnats or other small diptera which form the bulk of its 

 food. The long tail is carried horizontally, clear of the mud or 

 wet, and is constantly and rapidly though gracefully elevated 

 and depressed ; it is not '"' wagged," if by that a lateral move- 

 ment is impHed. The presence of water is not necessary for 

 the Pied Wagtail ; indeed it is less aquatic than the Grey ; it 

 darts fearlessly under the legs of the grazing cattle after flies, 

 and is a constant attendant on the heels of the ploughman, 

 when larvai rather than perfect insects are its quarry. The 

 farmyard, where the warmth of manure and other litter en- 

 courages winter flies, is a favourite haunt, and there it runs 

 nimbly along the roof-tree of the shippon, constantly calling, 

 and shooting into the air when it sights a passing fly. 



The Pied Wagtail is a pioneer summer visitor, usually 

 returning early in March, but often so soon as the beginning 

 of February. Much though not all of the plumage is moulted 

 in spring in addition to the complete moult in autumn, and 

 apparently this spring moult is accomplished earlier abroad 

 than in England, for the returning birds are noticeably cleaner- 

 looking and smarter than those which have wintered here ; it 

 would, however, be unwise to say that an early moulted bird 

 must have been abroad, for these sometimes reach northern 

 counties in the first week of February. On February 8, 19 13, 

 I found scores of Pieds wintering on the shingles at Slapton 



