THE WAGTAILS. 105 
striped Swallows in India, but they are rare, and all the 
group look very much alike. 
THE WAGTAILS. 
The Wagtails and Pipits form a family of small insect- 
eating birds of very graceful shape and active habits 
which live almost entirely on the ground, running about 
instead of hopping like most small birds. The Pipits 
are dull streaky-brown birds, not particularly interest- 
ing either in appearance or habits, but the Wagtails 
are much better known on account of their conspicuous 
appearance, and it is with them alone that I shall deal 
here. Their tails are long, but even at the tip, not 
forked or sloped like those of most long-tailed birds, 
and they are constantly moving them up and down. 
Their legs are also rather long, and their bills slender, 
but of moderate length. They are extremely active 
birds on the ground, but do not perch much. They are 
good fliers, and when on the wing progress in bounds or 
curves, alternately closing and opening their wings. Most 
small birds fly in this way, but it is particularly marked 
in the Wagtails. Possibly the idea in closing the wings 
and swinging along in curves is to get an impetus which 
their light weight would make unattainable otherwise, 
for no large bird flies like this. 
Although a good many collect together in winter, 
Wagtails cannot be called really sociable birds, and are 
evidently happiest alone, except when breeding. The 
cock and hen do not differ much in appearance, but the 
young are sometimes very different from them. The nest 
