PIED WAGTAIL. 161 
always continue a Wagtail, not only in nature, but also in 
name. 
Two species are now believed to have been hitherto included 
under one; that which is the commoner in this country being 
comparatively rarer on the continent; the other being here 
the more unfrequent. At different seasons of the year, too, 
the one before us appears in two such different dresser that 
it might naturally be supposed to be anything but identical 
at each time with itself, 
This bird is stated by Mr. Gould, to have been only pro- 
cured by him from Norway, Sweden, and the British Islands. 
The sides of rivers, and of lakes, of pools, streams, and 
mill-dams, and the shores of the sea, both among sand and 
pebbles, are the more natural haunts of the Pied Wagtail; 
but they are frequently to be seen on the grass and walks 
in our gardens, coming up often to the kitchen door; and 
they also frequent ploughed fields and meadows. To the 
former watery situations they resort in numbers, when the 
early education of their family has been completed. 
In February these birds pair, and early in March begin 
their migratory movement: then they arrive from the conti- 
nent: many at least of them, not all, for some have remained, 
and. some still remain in the south, while others advance 
northwards, even to the extremest boreal shores of Scotland. 
They leave the cold north for more southerly districts before 
the winter; and about the middle of August they again begin 
to move southwards to the sea coast. There, at the end of 
that month, or the beginning of September, they move in an 
easterly direction; and towards the middle of October many 
of them again wing their way elsewhere; but a considerable 
number remain. In severe weather they approach more nearly 
to houses and farm-yards, and may then be seen quietly 
meandering along, flitting up, if disturbed, to the house top, 
and occasionally, though but rarely, alighting on trees. Their 
movements appear to be rather uncertain, but after a period- 
ical absence, they again return—sometimes unexpected, but 
at all times welcome visitors. 
The Pied Wagtail is a very elegant bird, and it is truly 
a pleasing sight to watch it nimbly running or lightly treading 
on the most. treacherous sands, in quest of its food, ever and 
anon flirting up its tail, which, indeed, is always rather ele- 
vated, as if to keep its neatness unsoiled. Occasionally you 
may see it wading ankle deep in the water; now perching on 
VOL. II, M 
