PIED WAGTAIL. 545 



ornithologist. For want of room they cannot be here given 

 in full, but the following summary may suffice. The Pied 

 Wagtails which have wintered abroad reach the coast of 

 Sussex about the middle of March, and, on fine days, Mr. 

 Knox has frequently observed them approaching the shore, 

 aided by a gentle breeze from the south, their well-known 

 call-note being distinctly audible from the sea long before 

 the birds could be seen. The neighbouring fields, where 

 but a short time hitherto scarcely a bird of the kind was 

 to be found, are soon tenanted by numbers, and for several 

 days they continue dropping on the beach in small parties. 

 The old males come first, while the females and the males of 

 the previous year, which still partially resemble their partners, 

 do not appear until a few days later. It may be observed, 

 says Mr. Knox, that the white on the forehead and cheeks 

 of these newly-arrived birds is much purer at this time than 

 in those which have wintered in England, and the latter do 

 not assume the summer-garb at so early a period as their 

 more travelled brethren. After resting near the coast for 

 a few days the new-comers proceed inland, and any good 

 observer there stationed may perceive how much the numbers 

 of the species increase at this season. About the middle of 

 August there is a general return-movement towards the coast, 

 and the Wagtails now first become gregarious. At that time 

 Mr. Knox has frequently observed them in the interior of the 

 county, where they remain but a few days, making way for 

 fresh detachments, which, in their turn, follow the same 

 route to the sea. At the end of the month, or early in 

 September, they may be seen of a morning flying invariably 

 from west to east, parallel to the shore, but following each 

 other in constant succession. These flights continue from day- 

 break until about ten o'clock in the forenoon, and so steadily 

 do the birds pursue their course that even when one or more 

 of an advancing party have been shot the remainder do not 

 fly in a different direction, -but opening to right and left close 

 their ranks and continue their progress as before. During 

 this transit their proximity to the coast depends to some 

 degree on the character of the country lying between the 

 VOL. i. 4 A 



