124 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



sweet and varied song, though not a loud one. In 

 autumn it is like a low sweet murmur. " Encore," 

 says the old French naturalist Belon, " ils savent 

 rossignoller du gosier melodieusement, chose qu'on 

 pent souvent fois ouir sur le commencement de 

 rhiver." It builds its nest generally somewhere 

 near the stream, sometimes placing it in holes, or 

 on a bank near to the edge of the water ; but more 

 frequently among piles of wood, or in heaps of 

 stones, or perhaps in some old pollard willow which 

 grows near the river, and whose ancient trunk 

 remains when the greener boughs have long since 

 disappeared. This wagtail is not a neat -builder, 

 and its dwelling is constructed somewhat carelessly, 

 of small roots, and moss, and fibres of grasses 

 mixed Avitli wool, and lined with hair. The eggs 

 are five in number, of a greyish-white colour 

 speckled with brown. There are usually two 

 broods in the year, and the parent birds are most 

 com-ageous in the defence of their young, flying 

 round and round the person who takes the nest, 

 as if determined not to forsake it, and all the time 

 uttering a wild scream of agony. Few birds 

 either are more careful in keeping the nest clean, 

 and removing firom it continually anything which 



