NOTES AND QUERIES. 233 



afternoon I had to skin some birds ; the Wagtail flew (its wings were so cut 

 that it could fly a little) on to my table whilst I was at work. Steeple- 

 chasing over the varied and numerous impediments in hot pursuit of flies, 

 attracted by the carcases of the birds I was operating on, it got a little tow 

 entangled in its claws, so I had to hunt it down in order to catch it. After 

 an operation of about two minutes" duration I released it. It simply preened 

 its feathers, and then chirped about me as usual. Wherever I move the 

 bird follows close at my heels. This is not a mark of any particular attach- 

 ment, as it is a peculiarity of Wagtails to follow persons in this way. When 

 I went into my bed-room it refused to be driven back ; I think this was 

 because it had there seen me catch the flies I had given it. I offered it 

 some small bits of raw liver, but it would not look at them ; shortly after- 

 wards, however, I found it pulling away at a piece which had stuck to an 

 envelope and dropped on the floor. I saw it could not very well manage it, 

 so went to get it from him to cut into small pieces, but it had evidently 

 tasted, and had taken to it so kindly that I could not get it away from him, 

 and in the end he swallowed it. I was very much struck that he did not 

 attempt to use one of his feet as an aid — had he done so it would have been 

 of great assistance. This I remarked on several occasions. My servant tells 

 me that when he was on detachment at an outlying fort they got twelve of 

 these birds, which quite rid them, comparatively speaking, of those pests, 

 mosquitoes. 20th. — I thought I had lost my Wagtail yesterday evening, 

 as it had disappeared, and in spite of a hunt I could find it nowhere. When 

 I got up, at about half-past five, and moved about, making considerable 

 noise over the manufacture of a cup of tea, he did not appear ; but about 

 half-past six, as I was reading in bed, I was pleasantly surprised by seeing 

 him hop on to my bed. He took considerable interest in my tubbing 

 operations, perching himself on the edge of my bath. He drank at some 

 small pools on the stone floor which had splashed from my bath. He seemed 

 to prefer this to some water I poured out for him in a saucer ; he took a sip 

 or two and stood in it, but returned to his splashes, nor did he seem inclined 

 to bathe. I gave him some ants, which he seemed to enjoy very much, but 

 small pieces of raw liver seem to delight him most ; after getting a bit he 

 bothers me to give him more ; he is on my hands, book, and everywhere, as 

 I write — quite irrepressible — I can hardly drive him away. I took him 

 into the ante-room, about thirty yards off, to reach which one must pass out 

 of doors. He followed me like a dog, but occasionally some flies tried his 

 allegiance. I was supplied, however, with some small pieces of raw liver to 

 offer him when he lagged behind too much. The Wagtails in the kitchen, 

 which were only brought in yesterday, are running about to-day quite tame. 

 21st. — I and the Wagtail both got up this morning at our usual hour — I at 

 5.30, he at 6.30 a.m. As I was reading in bed I heard him in the next 

 room, so I called to him, when he at once came on to my bed, hopping 

 about my head, arms, and books. When he left my bed to wander elsewhere 

 ZOOLOGIST. — JUNE, 1884. T 



