THE WATER- WAGTAIL 417 



in turn, for many minutes together, leaving his 

 mate and young ones to hunger as they may, rather 

 than betray his family secret. The wagtail frequently 

 migrates from one part of the country to another, 

 and sometimes congregates in flocks ; but he pairs 

 for life, and the same pair always reappear, 

 sometimes, when they are least expected, and all 

 the more welcome from their occasional absence, 

 on their favourite lawn. Their devotion to one 

 another is extreme, as a scene I witnessed some 

 forty years ago, but which is as fresh in my 

 memory as if I had seen it yesterday, will show. 

 I will relate it, and with it I will conclude this 

 chapter and this book. 



A wagtail had been killed, probably by a stone, 

 and was lying dead in the middle of the circular 

 drive in front of the Down House, Blandford. The 

 survivor seemed beside himself with grief. Like 

 Eve in Paradise, he "knew not what death was," 

 or, at most, the reality was only gradually breaking 

 in upon him. He kept running up to the body 

 with loud and plaintive call-note. He called, but 

 there was no response. He caressed the body, 

 caught hold of it with his little bill, coaxed it to 

 move, drew it after him for a yard or two. He 



even tried to rise with it in the air. Then, like 



2 D 



