THE PIED WAGTAIL. 79 



says that they will fly in the face of any one attempting to remove their unwieldy foster-child, and that 

 when the latter is restored to the nest they " will evince their joy by fondling and dancing around it, 

 leaping over its back, and exhibiting many other demonstrations of delight." 



The following excellent description of the Wagtail's habits is given by Macgillivray : 

 " The places usually frequented by this beautiful bird are the margins of streams, ditches, pools, 

 and lakes. Towards the end of July, when the cares of rearing their young are over, they betake 

 themselves in great numbers to the mouths of rivers, especially such as have marshy meadows along 

 their sides, or muddy expanses to which the tides have access. Often one may see them wading in 

 shallow places in quest of insects and worms, carefully holding up their tail to prevent its being 

 draggled. If you watch the motions of an individual just coming up to join the party, you see it alight 

 abruptly, twittering its shrill notes, and perching on a small stone, incessantly vibrate its body and 

 jerk out its tail. It now perhaps walks out into the water and searches for food, or, finding none, flies 

 to the shore, and runs along with great rapidity, stopping and stooping now and then to pick up a 

 tiny wormlet, and momentarily spreading out its ever- vibrating tail. Its light footsteps leave no 

 impression on the soft sand, and if it walks out upon the mud you wonder that its little toes do not get 

 clogged ; yet so rapid are its motions that it never sinks in the mire, and when the latter becomes too 

 soft it aids itself with its wings or flies to a place where it may find more secure footing. Now it runs 

 into the meadow, in pursuit of a fly, which it has no sooner caught than it spies another. The lazy 

 geese that have nibbled the grass bare allow it to pass in the midst of them without molestation, or if 

 some malicious gander or foolish gosling attempts to seize it, they find that they have given themselves 

 too much credit for dexterity. There the cows are grazing in the midst of a swarm of gnats and other 

 insects, and the Wagtail has arrived in their vicinity. Running forward, it catches a small fly, bends 

 to one side to seize another, darts to the right after a third, and springs some feet into the air before 

 it secm-es a fourth. Now see it picking among the old dung, where there are doubtless many larvae 

 concealed, again running off in pursuit of a fly, passing close to the cow's nose or among her feet. 

 There, while in pursuit, it encounters another of its own species ; but they quarrel not, no doubt aware 

 that thei^e is room enough for both of them in the world, or even in the meadow, which you now see to 

 be covered with Wagtails, all busily occupied, some walking, others running, a few flying off, and many 

 aniving. You may walk in among them : they are not very shy, for they will allow you to come 

 within fifteen yards, or sometimes less ; and you may shoot as many as you please, for although some 

 will fly off, others will remain, and of the former a few will settle in the neighbourhood. Day after day 

 you will find them here when the tide is out. At other times you may search for them by the edges 

 of the river, along the mill-dam, in the meadows, or even in the dry pastures. Occasionally you may 

 see them perched on a roof, a wall, or a large stone, but very rarely on a tree or bush. Towards the 

 middle of October many of them take their departure from the middle and southern parts of Scotland, 

 and the rest wander over the country, frequenting watery places, and in hard weather approaching 

 houses, searching the sides of the roads, the dunghills, and even the cottage doors. In most parts of 

 the south of Scotland they are not at all uncommon in winter, but in England they are much more 

 abundant. 



"About the beginning of March the migratory movement commences. Many remain in the south, 

 but many also move northward, and some arrive in the northernmost parts of Scotland and in the 

 outer Hebrides by the middle of Mai'ch. It is a pleasant sight to see a small group of these birds 

 walking and running with, light and graceful steps along the newly-turned furrows on a cold, dry 

 morning in spring, when the east wind nips your fingers and calls the blood into your cheeks. Rooks 

 are scattered over the field ; a few Hooded Crows are searching the distant end of the ridge, but they 

 have little dread of the ploughman, follow close upon his heels, or merely rise before the horses, to re- 

 sume their station when they have passed. At this season they obtain an abundant supply of food, 

 and as the labouring lasts until the warm weather sets in, they need never suffer for lack of larvse or 

 insects. But at all seasons they are fond of rambling along the shores of the sea, and especially of 

 estuaries, lakes, and rivers. 



" About the middle of April, when they have paired and scattered over the country, they begin 

 their preparations for the more important business of the season. Their nests are placed by the side 

 of a river or stream, on a rocky bank, or among the grass, or on a heap of stones, or in a hole in a 



