PASSERES. { 108 ) MOTACILLID^. 



THE PIED WAGTAIL. 



WATER WAGTAIL, WHITE WAGTAIL, BLACK AND WHITE WAGTAIL, 

 WINTER WAGTAIL, PEGGY WASH-DISH, DISH-WASHER. 



Motacilla luguhris. 

 %^t aOlater (Ifllafftail, %^t SflliUp dtllatct: JLfllafftail, 



What art thou made off — air or light or dew f 

 I have no time to tell you, if I knew. 

 My tail — ask that — perhaps may solve the matter ; 

 I 've missed three flies already by this clatter. 



Montgomery, Birds. 



Spare my grey beard, you Wagtail ! 



Shakespeare, King Lear. 



This beautiful and elegant bird may be considered a regular 

 migrant in Berwickshire, generally arriving in considerable 

 numbers on the sea-coast near Cockburnspath and Old- 

 cambus about the middle of March, and a little later in the 

 inland districts of the county." It leaves us in large 

 flocks for the south in September and October, and is seen 

 while on migration passing the lighthouses on the coasts of 

 England and Scotland, including those at the Fame Islands 



1 It is known in some districts of Berwickshire as the "Seed-Bird," on 

 account of its appearing at the time of seed-sowing in spring. Jamieson, in his 

 Scot. Did., gives the meaning of "SeedfouUie" as "the Wagtail, mot. alba" — 

 mot. lugubris. 



" Mr. Hardy's observations, extending from 1873 to 1882, show that its 

 earliest spring arrival during that period was on 7th Feb. 1880, and the latest 

 3rd April 1876. 



I 



