10 TIic [Hcd Wagtail. 



The Pied Wagtail [Motacilla lugubrisj. 

 By R. Sugg ITT. 



The Pied Wai^tail is one of the most charming; and 

 desirable of our small insectivorous birds, either for a medium- 

 sized or large aviary. He is always beautiful, active and dainty. 

 He is easily kept in good health, and, being' a resident does not 

 need to be taken into shelter during the winter. 



This species has nested several times in my aviary, but 

 without much success until the summer of 1921, when one 

 young bird was reared to be quite independent of its parents, 

 although owing to an unfortunate oversight on my part, it 

 never reached maturity. 



The pair I then possessed were caught as immature birds 

 in the previous autumn (1920), and they spent the winter in the 

 largest division of my aviary. 



A nest was completed by the hen in a Hartz-cage in the 

 highest part of the shelter-shed on May 25th. and the full clutch 

 of five egg's hatched on June 15th. 



Flying insects were abundant, and it is possible that the 

 young might have been reared on those the parents could catch 

 for themselves in the einclosure. 



A small piece of meat placed in a box, with wire-netting 

 over the top, attracted numerous blow flies, and these were 

 eagerly snapped up by the parents. In addition liberal supplies 

 of mealworms, spiders and gentles were provided. 



Three youngsters were out of the nest by June 27th, the 

 remaining two having died when a few days old. All went well 

 un". il a h\Y days later, when entering the aviary rather suddenly. 

 I startled one of the young birds which was perched in the 

 shelter shed, and it flew with great force into an imguarded glass 

 weather screen along the top of the otherwise open front of the 

 shelter, and fell to the ground dead. 



The same fate overtook the other two youngsters, \he 

 last one breaking its neck when it was more than six weeks old. 

 !<■ was a fine bird, a cock I think. It was well on the " soft- 

 food," and able to forage for itself. 



I ought to have remembered that some years before, I 

 lost two young hybrid Ouzels in a similar manner. Young 



