PIED WAGTAIL. 197 
they take refuge im the nesting-hole, as they do at nightfall. In the 
breeding-season the trustfulness of this Wagtail is often very considerable, 
and it will repeatedly build its nest in the most frequented and busy situa- 
tions. I once knew a nest of this bird in a hole of a wall bordering a 
large sheet of water, in fact the nest was but afew inches from the margin. 
It contained four young ones, which were continually running in and out 
of the hole which contained their nest ; and by keeping perfectly stili they 
approached me closely, and I had the pleasure of seeing the birds feed 
their offspring with a few crumbs that I scattered for them. When the 
young have gained the full use of their wings the nest is abandoned for 
ever, and we see them on the fallows and pastures. Here they are still 
fed by the old birds; and it is pleasing to observe the actions of both 
old and young at this period, as the latter with drooping wings welcome 
the arrival of their parents with food. See them, now walking, now 
running, in all directions, making sad havoc amongst the clouds of 
insects. Gifted with the most acute sight, the Wagtails can distinguish 
the smallest insect at incredible distances. Now running, aided by their 
wings, they capture an insect, and with notes of exultation call their 
young, nestling closely and motionless amongst the earth-clods at hand. 
With quick motion the little creatures bound forward and receive the 
proffered food with all the graceful actions so prominent in this charming 
group of sylph-like birds.” 
The food of the Pied Wagtail consists of insects of various kinds, both 
picked up from the ground and caught whilst flying in the air. It will 
also eat small beetles, for which it searches amongst manure and the 
leaves of plants, and it finds great quantities of larvee whilst following the 
plough. 
Numbers of Pied Wagtails move southwards in autumn. They appear 
to migrate principally along the coast-line ; and Gray remarks that 
immense numbers may be observed passing down the Clyde at Glas- 
gow. This gentleman has seen in September and October as many as 
three or four hundred assembled on the timber-rafts in that river. In 
this way the birds probably wander down the coast southwards, great 
numbers being regularly observed on the southern shores of Hngland, 
whence they cross to their winter-quarters on the continent. On the 
return migration I noticed them very common both at Biarritz and at 
Bordeaux early in March; and Mr. Knox records the arrival of small 
parties of these birds on the coast of Sussex in the middle of that month. 
The adult male Pied Wagtail in full breeding-plumage has the forehead 
extending along the sides of the head and neck pure white; the rest of the 
upper parts is black, except the tips of the median wing-coverts, the mar- 
gins of the greater wing-coverts and innermost secondaries, and the greater 
portion of the two outside tail-feathers on each side, which are pure white, 
