200 IN BIRD-LAND 



parlour of a neighbouring public- house. Such is 

 the fate of nearly all the more rare kinds of birds 

 that visit our suburbs ; and all of this wanton 

 destruction could be prevented by the owners 

 of the surrounding land extending to them a 

 little more protection. 



No stream such as our Brook, would be com- 

 plete without Wagtails. Three kinds the Pied, 

 Yellow, and Grey are to be seen near the stream 

 at times, the Pied being by far the most common. 

 Although it breeds with us every year, I have 

 never fdund a nest of this species ; and unless one 

 sees them enter or leave their nest it is almost 

 impossible to find them by mere searching. I 

 have, on different occasions, spent much time 

 watching these Pied Wagtails in order to discover 

 the locality of their nest, but have never seen 

 them enter or come out. On one occasion the 

 male watched me, and continued to do so until 

 I left the spot. 



If one has a chance of watching these little 

 birds without attracting their notice, it is a sight 

 well worth seeing. For long one can hear their 

 approach by their familiar cry, tiz-it, tiz-it ; but 

 on looking up, we do not at first see any bird at 

 all ; but presently one is observed coming with 

 an undulating flight, and seeming to shoot itself 



