OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 405 



Of their migration the proofs are such as will scarcely admit of 

 a doubt. Sir Charles Wager and Captain Wright saw vast flocks 

 of them at sea, when on their passage from one country to another 

 Our author, Mr. White, saw what he deemed the actual migration 

 of these birds, and which he has described at p. 184 of his 

 " History of Selborne " ; and of their congregating together on 

 the roofs of churches and other buildings, and on trees, previous 

 to their departure, many instances occur ; particularly I once ob- 

 served a large stock of house-martins on the roof of the church 

 here at Catsfield, which acted exactly in the manner here described 

 by Mr. White, sometimes preening their feathers and spreading 

 their wings to the sun, and then flying off all together, but soon 

 returning to their former situation. The greatest part of these 

 birds seemed to be young ones. MARKWICK. 



WAGTAILS. 



While the cows are feeding in the moist low pastures, broods of 

 wagtails, white and gray, run round them, close up to their noses, 

 and under their very bellies, availing themselves of the flies that 

 settle on their legs, and probably finding worms and larva that 

 are roused by the trampling of their feet. Nature is such an 

 economist, that the most incongruous animals can avail themselves 

 of each other ! 



Interest makes strange friendships. WHITE. 



Birds continually avail themselves of particular and unusual 

 circumstances to procure their food ; thus wagtails keep playing 

 about the noses and legs of cattle as they feed, in quest of flies 

 and other insects which abound near those animals ; and great 

 numbers of them will follow close to the plough to devour the 

 worms, etc., that are turned up by that instrument. The red- 

 breast attends the gardener when digging his borders ; and will, 

 with great familiarity and tameness, pick out the worms, almost 

 close to his spade, as I have frequently seen. Starlings and 

 magpies very often sit on the backs of sheep and deer to pick out 

 their ticks. MARKWICK. 



