242 MOTACILLA BOARULA. 



tlie 28th of September, 1838, I went out for the purpose of re- 

 freshing my memory, and betook myself to Cohnton, three and 

 a half miles from Edinburgh. The Water of Leith there enters 

 a narrow wooded valley, extending to Slateford, and upwards 

 of a mile in length. Just below the village is a mill-dam, 

 where, among the large stones are seen several Wagtails flit- 

 ting about, ever in motion, chasing the insects on foot, and now 

 and then flying a short way after them. One has perched on 

 the dam dike, my companion shoots it, and we find that it is a 

 most beautiful male, having the nevf plumage just completed, 

 and the black patch of summer replaced on its throat by a fine 

 yellow tint. Alarmed by the report, the rest fly down the 

 stream. Another shot is fired ; the wounded bird flutters up 

 the bank and falls among the grass, while one of those near it 

 alights on a tree. Again we have come up to them, as they 

 are busily feeding on the edges of the stream. Singling out an 

 individual, I see it fly to a stone in the water, run a few steps 

 upon it and seize an insect, launch into the air after another, 

 betake itself to a flat ledge of slate-clay, run, turn, double, and 

 stand, vibrating its body, and emitting a few shrill notes. On 

 being disturbed by us, some fly down the valley, others perch 

 on the trees, and two or three, making a circuit, return toward 

 the mill. At various other points we again meet with them, 

 and take note of their graceful action, their vivacity, their beau- 

 tifully buoyant and undulated flight ; but, as nothing more of 

 their history can be traced at present, we leave them to enjoy 

 themselves. Not a single Summer Warbler is to be seen, the 

 Sandpiper has long ago retired, a very few Swallows are flying 

 high over the trees, the valley being sheltered from the cold 

 east M^ind, but none are to be found in the villages, and they 

 have entirely disappeared from Edinburgh. 



After the breeding season, great numbers are seen at the 

 mouths of rivers, along with the Pied Wagtails, especially in 

 marshy places to which the tide has access. About the middle 

 of spring they disperse in pairs, and are met with along the 

 streams and brooks, in the vicinity of which they generally 

 nestle. The first brood is abi-oad by the end of May, the 

 second in July. 



