PIED WAGTAIL. 197 



they take refuge in the nesting-hole, as they do at nightfall. In the 

 breeding-season the trustfulness of this Wagtail is often very considerable, 

 and it will repeatedly build its nest in the most frequented and busy situa- 

 tions. I once knew a nest of this bird in a hole of a wall bordering a 

 large sheet of water, in fact the nest was but a few inches from the margin. 

 It contained four young ones, which were continually running in and out 

 of the hole which contained their nest ; and by keeping perfectly still they 

 approached me closely, and I had the pleasure of seeing the birds feed 

 their offspring with a few crumbs that I scattered for them. When the 

 young have gained the full use of their wings the nest is abandoned for 

 ever, and we see them on the fallows and pastures. Here they are still 

 fed by the old birds ; and it is pleasing to observe the actions of both 

 old and young at this period, as the latter with drooping wings welcome 

 the arrival of their parents with food. See them, now walking, now 

 running, in all directions, making sad havoc amongst the clouds of 

 insects. Gifted with the most acute sight, the Wagtails can distinguish 

 the smallest insect at incredible distances. Now running, aided by their 

 wings, they capture an insect, and with notes of exultation call their 

 young, nestling closely and motionless amongst the earth-clods at hand. 

 With quick motion the little creatures bound forward and receive the 

 proffered food with all the graceful actions so prominent in this charming 

 group of sylph-like birds." 



The food of the Pied Wagtail consists of insects of various kinds, both 

 picked up from the ground and caught whilst flying in the air. It will 

 also eat small beetles, for which it searches amongst manure and the 

 leaves of plants, and it finds great quantities of larvse whilst following the 

 plough. 



Numbers of Pied Wagtails move southwards in autumn. They appear 

 to migrate principally along the coast-line ; and Gray remarks that 

 immense numbers may be observed passing down the Clyde at Glas- 

 gow. This gentleman has seen in September and October as many as 

 three or four hundred assembled on the timber-rafts in that river. In 

 this way the birds probably wander down the coast southwards, great 

 numbers being regularly observed on the southern shores of England, 

 whence they cross to their winter-quarters on the continent. On the 

 return migration I noticed them very common both at Biarritz and at 

 Bordeaux early in March ; and Mr. Knox records the arrival of small 

 parties of these birds on the coast of Sussex in the middle of that month. 



The adult male Pied Wagtail in full breeding-plumage has the forehead 

 extending along the sides of the head and neck pure white ; the rest of the 

 upper parts is black, except the tips of the median wing-coverts, the mar- 

 gins of the greater wing-coverts and innermost secondaries, and the greater 

 portion of the two outside tail-feathers on each side, which are pure white. 



