THE PIED WAGTAIL. 81 



are much more shy than the newly arrived " flight 

 birds," which, with their plumage advanced to that 

 of the breeding season the effect of a warmer 

 climate are comparatively tame and easily 

 caught ; they are at once attracted by the decoy 

 bird, and fly into the net in unsuspicious haste. 



Goldfinches again become numerous in October, 

 when detached parties, including the young of the 

 year, which have been spread through other por- 

 tions of the island during the summer, approach 

 the coast, and pass eastward in succession, until 

 they find on the shores of Kent as I imagine 

 a favourable spot for crossing the Channel. 



The pied wagtail* arrives from the continent on 

 the shores of Sussex about the middle of March. 

 Although several remain here during the winter, 

 these bear but a small proportion to the numbers 

 that visit us in the spring. On fine days during 

 this season I have frequently seen them approach- 

 ing the coast, aided by a gentle breeze from the 



* A few years have elapsed since I was first struck by 

 the incorrectness of the received opinion that our pied 

 wagtail was migratory only in the northern, but stationary 

 in the southern counties of England ; and a portion of the 

 following remarks on that bird appeared at the time in a 

 communication to the * Zoologist,' and were subsequently 

 noticed by Mr. Yarrell, in the 2nd edition of his ' History 

 of British Birds.' 



E 5 



