PIED WAGTAIL 163 
bank of a streamlet or river, the side of a stack of hay, peat, 
or wood, a stony or grassy bank, a mud wall, or on the 
grass. Meyer has known one in the middle of a turnip field. 
It is about five inches wide externally, by about three and a 
half internally, and composed of stems of grass, leaves, small 
roots, and moss, lined with wool, hair, thistle down, or feathers, 
and any other such soft substances, all somewhat rudely, or 
rather loosely put together. Mr. Weir sent Mr. Macgillivray 
an account of a pair of these birds which built their nest in 
an old wall, within a few yards of four men, who, during 
the most part of the day, were working at a quarry, where 
they were occasionally blasting the limestone with gunpowder. 
There the female laid and hatched four eggs. She and the 
male became so familiar with the workmen that they flew in 
and out without shewing the least signs of fear; but if he 
himself approached, so quickly did they recognise a stranger, 
they immediately flew off, and would not return until he had 
removed at least five or six hundred yards from their abode. 
Also in May, 1837, another pair built their nest under the 
platform at the top of a coal-pit, which was jarred against 
every time that the coals were drawn up. ‘They became 
quite familiar with the colliers and other persons connected 
with the works, flying in and out only a few feet off them, 
without shewing the least symptoms of fear. The nest was 
built within a few inches of where one of the men used to 
stand. Mr. Jesse mentions another pair which built their 
nest in a workshop occupied by braziers, and, though the 
noise was loud and incessant, there they securely hatched their 
roung. 
: The egos, five or six in number, and of an elongated oval 
form, are light grey, or greyish or bluish white, sometimes 
tinged with yellowish or greenish, spotted all over with grey 
and brown. They vary, however, very considerably both in 
size and colour, some being much larger than others, some 
much more deeply coloured, and some most spotted at the 
thicker end, in the form of a zone or belt. 
The young are hatched after an incubation of a fortnight; 
a second brood is generally reared in the year, the former 
one having been produced early. 
Male; length, seven inches and a half to seven and three 
quarters; bill, deep black; iris, dusky black; there is a narrow 
space of white over it. Short bristles occur at the base of 
the upper bill; forehead, white; side of the head, white; back 
