196 PIED, Oft ItARRELI/S WAGTAIL. 



evince great anxiety when the nest is approached, 

 flitting about with restless and reiterated cries. 

 The food, during the summer months, is almost 

 exclusively insects and larvae, particularly aquatic 

 ones, also the smaller fresh water moluscae ; a 

 great deal, during winter, is picked up in the 

 farm yard or dunghill, which, from its heat, is an 

 attraction to many insects, and also affords soft 

 portions of grain or seeds. In addition, small 

 fish may be occasionally taken, for on the autho- 

 rity of William Rayner, Esq. of Uxbridge, Mr 

 Yarrell has stated, that this Wagtail, when kept 

 in confinement, caught minnows, in the most 

 dexterous manner, from a fountain in the centre 

 of his aviary. * There are many favourable 

 situations, in our brooks and ditches, where this 

 might be practised, though we have never seen 

 it put in execution. 



In geographical distribution it has been gene- 

 rally understood that this bird ranges over the 

 whole United Kingdom ; but from the evident 

 confusion between the birds of Europe and of 

 Britain, it is possible that the range of both may 

 be more extended. So far as we presently know, 

 M. Yarrellii of Gould is at present the only known 

 British species ; and it is likely, as Mr Gould 

 suggests, that the Channel may be the boundary 

 line ; at the same time we have little doubt that 

 specimens of the gray-backed bird will be found 

 on our own side of the Channel. 



* Yarrell, i. p. 365. 



