THE WAGTAILS. 105 



striped Swallows in India, but they are rare, and all the 

 group look very much alike. 



THE WAGTAILS. 



The Wagtails and Pipits form a family of small insect- 

 eating birds of very graceful shape and active habits 

 which live almost entirely on the ground, running about 

 instead of hopping like most small birds. The Pipits 

 are dull streaky-brown birds, not particularly interest- 

 ing either in appearance or habits, but the Wagtails 

 are much better known on account of their conspicuous 

 appearance, and it is with them alone that I shall deal 

 here. Their tails are long, but even at the tip, not 

 forked or sloped like those of most long-tailed birds, 

 .and they are constantly moving them up and down. 

 Their legs are also rather long, and their bills slender, 

 but of moderate length. They are extremely active 

 birds on the ground, but do not perch much. They are 

 good fliers, and when on the wing progress in bounds or 

 curves, alternately closing and opening their wings. Most 

 small birds fly in this way, but it is particularly marked 

 in the Wagtails. Possibly the idea in closing the wings 

 and swinging along in curves is to get an impetus which 

 their light weight would make unattainable otherwise, 

 for no large bird flies like this. 



Although a good many collect together in winter, 

 Wagtails cannot be called really sociable birds, and are 

 evidently happiest alone, except when breeding. The 

 cock and hen do not differ much in appearance, but the 

 young are sometimes very different from them. The nest 



