192 The Yellow Wagtail. 



and turned it out at once into the aviary with the Grey Wagtail, and insectivorous 

 bird though it is, it no sooner saw the latter eating the soft food than it followed 

 the good example and saved me all anxiety. In the spring of 1896, I was aston- 

 ished and pleased to see this bird gradually develop the brightest male plumage 

 which I have ever noticed in the Yellow Wagtail : indeed a reputed Canary-breeder 

 who came to see my birds, after looking at the brilliant tropical colouring of 

 Weavers and Cardinals with lack-lustre e3'e, suddenly became eloquent as he came 

 in sight of my Yellow Wagtail, exclaiming excitedl}/ — "O! I should like to have 

 that Canary ! " He cannot have known much about his favourites ; perhaps he 

 mistook the Wagtail for an extra fine Scotch-fancy bird. 



In a wild state the Yellow Wagtail feeds upon insects and their larvae, spiders, 

 centipedes, and small worms : in confinement it requires a few insects, cockroaches 

 answering the purpose as well as anything ; but as staple diet, the same food as 

 that given to all insectivorous birds answers admirably : it usually commences on 

 the yolk of egg and ants' cocoons, only eating the bread and potato, as a last 

 resource, when other ingredients fail. 



Mr. Septimus Perkins, in "The Avicultural Magazine," Vol. I, p. 126, 

 published some interesting notes on this species: — "Some few years ago, while 

 living in the Midlands, I possessed a fair-sized in-door aviary, in which I kept 

 a good many migratory British birds. Here I kept the Yellow Wagtail along 

 with the smallest and most delicate Warblers, and I never found that he 

 did them the slightest injury, although he was sometimes just a little tyrannical. 

 But two male Wagtails, whether of the same or different species, will quarrel 

 and fight. 



This bird is a somewhat large eater, and takes very kindly to hard-boiled 

 egg, though he likes Abrahams' Preserved Egg even better, because that is all 

 yolk. He should have as much egg as he will eat, and as many soaked ants' eggs 

 as he will eat. Also three or four mealworms a day, and as many flies and small 

 caterpillars as you can take the trouble to catch. 



The Yellow Wagtail is a tender bird, but I do not consider him nearly so 

 delicate as the Warblers, he eats more heartily of artificial food than they do, and 

 consequently does not require so man}' mealworms." 



Mr. Perkins then goes on to recommend that soaked ants' eggs should form 

 the staple article of diet : also that the egg should be given in a separate vessel, 

 not mixed with bread-crumbs, which he considers indigestible and not nourishing 

 for insectivorous birds. I must confess that my experience does not support this 

 view ; for not only do many insectivorous birds live largely, during the autumn 

 and winter months, upon seed and grain ; but they become sleek and fat upon 



