1 14 PIED WAGTAIL. 



western portion. It occurs and probably breeds sparingly, in the 

 south west of Scandinavia ; visits Denmark ; passes over Heligoland 

 in considerable numbers ; and is found in Holland, Belgium and 

 the north of France. In the north-west of the latter country it 

 appears to breed regularly ; in the south-west I observed that males 

 of this species and of the White Wagtail were in full plumage from 

 the latter part of December to the end of March, after which both 

 disappeared. It arrives in Portugal about October 20th, leaving 

 in March ; in the latter month I obtained an adult male at Seville ; 

 and it occurs near Tangier in Morocco. Eastward, the Pied Wagtail 

 has been met with in autunm from Nice to Sardinia, Sicily, and 

 Malta. 



Breeding generally begins early in April ; the nest — of moss, dry 

 grass and roots, lined with hair and feathers — being in some cleft of 

 a bank, wall, rock or quarry, a decayed tree, the thatch of a building, 

 a faggot stack, or even in an open turnip-field ; and the Cuckoo 

 often places her egg in it. The eggs, 4-6, are greyish-white, closely 

 speckled with ash-brown : average measurements "8 by "6 in. Two 

 broods are often reared in the season. The bird feeds principally on 

 insects obtained in the meadows, moist ground, and shallow water, 

 to which it is partial ; on the coast it eats the flies &c. which it finds 

 amongst the sea-drift ; Mr. Tait observed it hovering over the 

 water to pick up the floating ova of a small crab ; and Mr. Booth 

 says that it is fond of glow-worms. The call-note is a sharp chiz-zic; 

 the song, seldom heard except in spring, is short but agreeable. 

 The quick running movements of this pretty bird, and the lively 

 agitation of its long tail, must be familiar to every one. 



Adult male in breeding-plumage : forehead and sides of the head 

 and neck pure white, contrasting strongly with the deep black of 

 the crown, nape, throat and breast ; mantle, rump and wing-coverts, 

 black; the latter margined with white, which forms a double bar; 

 quills blackish, the inner secondaries — nearly as long as the pri- 

 maries — margined with white on the outer edge ; tail-feathers black, 

 except the two outer pairs which are mainly white ; belly white ; 

 sides and flanks blackish ; bill, legs and feet black. Length 7*4 in. ; 

 wing 3-5 in. The female has a shorter tail ; the back is lead-grey 

 with somewhat darker streaks ; and the black on the crown and 

 breast is less extensive. After the autumn moult both sexes 

 lose the black chin and throat, and become greyer on the back. 

 The young are like those of M. alba, next to be described, but 

 darker on the upper parts. 



