PLUMAGE. 83 



It is worthy of remark that those pied wagtails 

 which remain with us during the winter, do not 

 assume the summer garb at so early a period as 

 their travelled brethren ; indeed, on the arrival of 

 the latter, which generally make their appearance 

 in the full nuptial plumage, the former have but 

 partially commenced the change, only a few black 

 patches beginning to show on the throat, and the 

 light gray of the back being varied with occasional 

 feathers of a darker hue. In about a fortnight 

 afterwards this process is complete, and at the ex- 

 piration of that time the pied wagtails which have 

 anived from the continent, and those which have 

 sojourned in England during the winter, present 

 the same appearance. 



After remaining in the neighbourhood of the 

 coast for a few days, these birds proceed inland in 

 a northerly direction ; and any practical observer 

 in the interior of the county may perceive how 

 much their numbers increase at this period. 

 There is scarcely a pool, road-side ditch, or vil- 

 lage horse -pond, where they may not be seen in 

 pairs, and this in districts where, but a week be- 

 fore, the species was thinly distributed. 



Pied wagtails moult soon, about the end of 

 July or early in August. The black feathers 

 gradually disappear from the throat in both sexes, 

 and the dorsal plumage becomes of a lighter 



