262 PET BIRDS OF BENGAL 



"It became, or rather it always was, 

 excessively tame, not to say fearlessly 

 contemptuous of man, and would at any 

 time take insects from one's fingers, or if 

 it found them empty attack them with 

 mock ^fierceness, opening its beak, ruffling 

 up its feathers and drooping its wings. 

 I found that an effectual way of feeding 

 it was to sweep with a large net in long 

 grass and then place the cage over the 

 mouth of it. As the insects gradually 

 extricated themselves and struggled up 

 to the light they were pounced upon and 

 captured by the Wagtail. The quickness 

 and accuracy of its movements were 

 something wonderful. It was a most in- 

 defatigable songster, with loud clear pipe 

 and considerable variation of song. On 

 being transferred to this barren rock 

 (Aden) I found it impossible to procure 

 insects in sufficient numbers, so tried 

 giving it sand-hoppers, annelids, small 

 Crustacea but nothing came amiss to this 

 most accommodatinof little bird who ate 



