192 GRAY WAGTAIL. 



take a station near a rapid or water fall, and 

 select a breeding place on the ledge of the sur- 

 rounding rocks, and thus they are met with far 

 up and retired among the hills ; but as if some 

 portion of the race had lived to delight in civili- 

 zation, the fall which drives a mill is a habitat 

 as frequent, and they nestle among the works 

 of man with as much confidence, and an appear- 

 ance of even more security, than their more 

 secluded neighbours. The nest is placed on a 

 iedge of rock or bank hung over with wild plants, 

 and generally sheltered above from the rain. It 

 is built rather rudely, exteriorly of roots and the 

 stems of plants, and is lined inside with hair and 

 fine grasses. Incubation commences very early, 

 and two broods are commonly reared within the 

 summer. The food consists in great part of 

 insects, but the smaller aquatic molusca form a 

 portion of it. The small cycladae and ancylus 

 have been found in the stomach. 



This species is not an abundant bird, but it is 

 pretty generally distributed in the southern 

 counties of England. However, it is a win- 

 ter visiter, and only remains during the year 

 north of Yorkshire ; the recorded instances to 

 the contrary, form only the exceptions. It is 

 curious, however, that, notwithstanding this 

 British distribution, the ornithologists of the 

 Continent consider it as remaining, during the 

 A^hole year, in the countries of southern Europe. 

 In Scotland it is frequent by all the alpine 

 streams, and extends to the northern counties. 



