OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 399 
White, sometimes preening their feathers and spreading their wings 
to the sun, and then flying off all together, but soon returning to 
their former situation. The greatest part of these birds seem to be 
young ones.—MARKWICK. 
WAGTAILS. 
While the cows are feeding in the moist low pastures, broods of 
wagtails, white and grey, run round them, close up to their noses, 
and under their very bellies, availing themselves of the flies that 
settle on their legs, and probably finding worms and /arve@ that are 
roused by the trampling of their feet. Nature is such an economist, 
that the most incongruous animals.can avail themselves of each 
other. 
Interest makes strange friendships.—WHITE. 
Birds continually avail themselves of particular and unusual 
circumstances to procure their food; thus wagtails keep playing 
about the noses and legs of cattle as they feed, in quest of flies and 
other insects which abound near those animals; and great numbers 
of them will follow close to the plough to devour the worms, &c., 
that are turned up by that instrument. The redbreast attends the 
gardener when digging his borders; and will, with great familiarity 
and tameness, pick out the worms, almost close to his spade, 
as I have frequently seen. Starlings and magpies very often 
sit on the backs of sheep and deer to pick out their ticks.— 
MARKWICK. 
WRYNECK. 
These birds appear on the grass-plots and walks; they walk a 
little as well as hop, and thrust their bills into the turf, in quest, | 
conclude, of ants, which are their food. While they hold their bills 
in the grass they draw out their prey with their tongues, which are 
so long as to be coiled round their heads. —WHITE. 
GROSBEAK. 
Mr. B. shot a cock grosbeak which he had observed to haunt his 
garden for more than a fortnight. I began to accuse this bird of 
