THE GREY WAGTAIL. 127 



species. Like that, however, it loves the stream- 

 sides, tliough it seems to prefer hilly districts to 

 plains. It seeks its food on the borders of the 

 brooks and rivers, and comes, too, to the stagnant 

 ditch -where the constant decomposition of vege- 

 table substances engenders a great profusion of in- 

 sects. Its song is very superior to that of the pied 

 wagtail ; while its shrill call-note often attracts the 

 attention of those who would not else observe it. 

 This consists of the words " chiz, chiz, chizzel, 

 chizzet," so that, as an accurate observer has said, 

 it seems very fond of the letter z. The same 

 writer, in a contribution to the Magazine of Na- 

 tural History, remarks : ^' I have been amused 

 with a singular habit which I have noticed in 

 several individuals of the grey wagtails. They 

 were fond of looking at their own images in the 

 windows, and attacking them, uttering their pecu- 

 liar cry, pecking and fluttering against the glass, 

 as earnestly as if the object they saw had been 

 a real rival, instead of an imaginary one ; or 

 perhaps they were only admiring themselves, and 

 testifying their satisfaction in this way. It is re- 

 markable, that two of these instances were in the 

 autumn, when the same motives for either love 



