Birds. 567 



wagtail, so frequently referred to, little imagining it had been the theme of a publish- 

 ed disquisition, when I had the pleasure of seeing the subject diligently investigated 

 and the enquiry scientifically pursued in 'The Zoologist.' Ample as are the commu- 

 nications, allow me to throw my opinion into the mass, by a narration that shall bear 

 the burthen of its own argument. In the month of April, 1842, my attention was fre- 

 quently attracted at day-break by the violent fluttering of a small bird at my window; 

 apparently some little creature in distress. On raising the blind, I discovered it to be 

 a pied wagtail (Motacilla alba, Linn.), and I was moved as much by pity as curiosity 

 to lower the sash for its admittance. For some time he declined my invitation ; but 

 as our acquaintance increased from day to day, I was tempted to anticipate his visit, 

 and draw up the blind at dawn, which to my surprise served as a signal for its return. 

 In a short time I found that if the bed-room blind continued down and the blind of 

 the dressing-room were raised, the former was relinquished and the latter tried. After 

 a while I lowered the top sashes of both rooms, and opened the door between them, 

 when the elegant little fellow, emboldened by protection, alighted on the nearest sash, 

 swiftly ran along it, and with what appeared to be the pride of confidence, made the 

 room reverberate with his warble, of whose sweetness and variety I had formed no just 

 appreciation. The growth of our familiarity was rapid. He now perched on the cor- 

 ner of the portico and chirped unintermittingly till I came to him, recognized my imi- 

 tated chirp, perched on the sash the moment my hand was removed, hopped upon the 

 looking-glass or ledge of the dressing-table, thence passed to the other room, pattered 

 with his rapid pace around the bed, and flew out indiscriminately at either window. 

 Having adopted the idea of placing a looking-glass in such an oblique position that 

 as he walked on the floor he might see himself, it was truly amusing to behold his va- 

 nity and grotesque gesticulations ; but an imagined rival soon brought forth his pug- 

 nacious propensities, and a fictitious combat closed the scene. He often recognized 

 me as I walked in front of the house ; sometimes descended to the window of the par- 

 lour in which my family sat, and drew their notice by his wonted intimation ; and al- 

 though I never found him in my dressing-room, as if he watched the occasion, he 

 always appeared as soon as I entered it. Now comes the interesting climax ! For 

 several weeks, while I shaved, he sat chirping on my looking-glass, reining his neck, 

 waving his tail, preening his half-raised wing, and eying askance the reflexion of his 

 glossy gorget at his feet. On the nearer approach of my finger, he sidled along the 

 frame with — to use a paradoxical expression — a confident timidity, to avoid the touch. 

 During these proceedings his mate would occasionally consort with him on the portico, 

 or sill of the window ; but her visits were short and infrequent. In the beginning of 

 June the bird disappeared, and after an interval of several weeks, returned ; but whe- 

 ther worried by the servants, whom his freedom with the furniture annoyed, or from 

 decreased encouragement in me, he then took his final departure. During our inter- 

 views I gave him a few crumbs of bread, which, although he did not appear anxious 

 about, he did not wholly reject. Last year, at the same season, a pair of male pied 

 wagtails came to my bed-room window, which I again opened, and, as if shy of each 

 other, sat alternately on the top ledge ; but from some unknown cause, possibly my 

 want of attention, this was the extent of our intercourse. It is a good rule of moral 

 evidence, that the strength of the testimony should be in proportion to the improbabi- 

 lity of the fact. Although I hope it is not requisite, I will add that the fidelity of my 

 representation can be corroborated, not only by my household but by str ..ngers, whose 

 presence was complimented by the immediate entrance of my plumed guest. It will 



