PIED WAGTAIL. 233 



rent localities. Thus, if you watch it for some time, when it has 

 taken its station among stones or fragments of rock, you cannot 

 fail to be pleased with the activity and dexterity which it dis- 

 plays. There it stands on the top of a stone, gently vibrating 

 its tail, as if poising itself. An insect flies near, when it starts 

 off, flutters a moment in the air, seizes its prey, and settles on 

 another stone, spreading and vibrating its tail. Presently it 

 makes another sally, flutters about for a while, seizes two or 

 three insects, glides over the ground, curving to either side, and 

 again takes its stand on a pinnacle. Again, you perceive seve- 

 ral Wagtails flying in a wavering and buoyant manner over the 

 rushes that skirt a large pool. It is a calm bright evening ; the 

 Coots are swimming about among the reeds and horsetails, ut- 

 tering now and then their short loud trumpet-like cry, and the 

 white-rumped Swallows are glancing along, now dipping light- 

 ly into the water to seize a fly, then darting here and there 

 amongst the tiny insects that sport over the rank weeds. A 

 Wagtail tries an excursion over the water, and although its flight 

 does not equal that of the Swallow in elegance or velocity, it 

 yet performs its part with considerable grace, flutters here a 

 while, seizing a few insects, sweeps away in a curve, as if to 

 acquire sufficient speed to keep it up without fluttering, turns 

 suddenly, then shoots forth in a straight line, and thus continues 

 for several minutes, until at length, fatigued, it betakes itself 

 to the top of the stone wall, where it rests a little, and then 

 commences a new excursion. Not unfrequently it may be seen 

 running along the roof of a house in pursuit of insects, which 

 it seizes in the manner of the Flycatcher or Redstarts. Often 

 also it is to be found among rocks, and it is not uncommon on 

 the streets of country villages, where it searches for insects 

 chiefly along the gutters. 



Young. — When fledged the young have the bill dusky, the 

 edge of the upper mandible, and a considerable portion of the 

 lower, yellowish ; the feet brownish. The plumage of the 

 upper parts is dull grey ; the crown and hind part of the head, 

 and the upper tail-coverts, darker. A narrow light-grey band 

 over the anterior part of the forehead ; a line over the eye, the 



