366 WAGTAILS. 



ions of the year they continue to obtain their food, catching the perfect 

 insect in the summer, and feeding on the eggs, hidden larvae, and chrys- 

 alides in winter. 



The nest of this species is undoubtedly the most wonderful example 

 of bird-architecture that is to be found in the British Islands, and is not 

 exceeded in beauty by the home of any bird whatever. In form it some- 

 what resembles an egg, and is built of moss, hair, a very little wool, the 

 cocoon webs of spiders, and the silken hammocks of certain caterpillars, 

 all woven into each other in the most admirable manner. The exterior 

 of the nest is spangled with silvery lichens, which generally correspond 

 ip color with the bark of the tree on which it is placed, and serve to 

 render it as little conspicuous as possible. The interior of the nest is 

 Vv'onderfully soft and warm, being literally crammed with downy 

 feathers to such an extent that the eggs are deeply buried in the 

 feathery bed, and cannot be counted until the whole lining of the nest 

 is removed. The nest is generally placed rather near the ground, 

 and is so well concealed that it is not easily seen except by experienced 

 eyes. 



The number of eggs which this little bird lays is really surprising. 

 Very seldom does it content itself with eight, and double that number 

 has been frequently counted in a single nest. In consequence, the young 

 birds are packed like so many herrings in a barrel, and the ingenuity 

 which must be exerted by the parent birds in giving each little one its 

 food in proper rotation must be very great indeed. 



The coloring of this species is as follows : The upper part of the head, 

 the cheeks, the throat, and the whole of the under surface are grayish 

 white, warming into a rosy hue upon the sides, flanks, and under tail- 

 coverts. A broad stripe of deep black passes over the eye and the 

 ear-coverts, and joins a large triangular patch of the same jetty hue, 

 which extends from the shoulders as far as the upper tail-coverts.* The 

 slioulders, the scapularies, and the lower part of the back are washed 

 with a decided tinge of a ruddy hue. The wings are mostly black, 

 with the exception of the tertiary quill feathers, which are edged with 

 white. The long central feathers of the tail are black, and the remain- 

 der are black on the inner webs and white on the outer. They are 

 regularly graduated in length, each pair being about half an inch 

 shorter than the preceding pair. Both sexes are similar in their 

 coloring. The total length of the bird is about five and a half 

 inches. 



WAGTAILS. 



We now arrive at a small group of birds which is sufficiently familiar 

 to every observer of nature through the different representatives which 

 mhabit this country. The Wagtails— so called from their well-known 



