The Pied Wagtail 



THIS bird has had a most suitable common 

 name given to it, because it is black and 

 white and is always wagging its long tail. 

 Why it does so nobody can tell. It does not 

 matter whether the bird is angry or pleased, 

 happy or unhappy, its tail is always going up 

 and down, up and down. 



The Pied Wagtail usually haunts the 

 edges of ponds and the banks of streams, 

 but may frequently be found breeding far 

 away from water of any kind. 



It lives upon flies and all kinds of in- 

 sects. During almost any fine day it may 

 be seen tripping daintily along a road, across 

 a lawn or by the side of a river, picking up 

 flies at rest, or fluttering a few feet into the 

 air, in order to catch one on the wing. 



This species makes its nest of dead grass 



and rootlets, and lines it with horsehair, 



feathers, cowhair, or rabbits down. It is 



generally w T ell hidden in a hole, in an old 



107 



