210 
MOTACILLID.E. 
The Pied Wagtail produces its first brood early, and 
consequently a second or late brood is frequently found. 
The courting scenes in which the male endeavours to ad¬ 
vance his suit with his chosen mate, are exceedingly amusing. 
The male stands before the object of his affection with ac¬ 
tions expressive of the deepest humility and reverence, alter¬ 
nately raising his head, and then bowing until his little beah 
touches the ground ; from time to time, spreading his tail 
like a fan, and drooping his wings ; these actions we have 
seen continued uninterruptedly for the space of a quarter of 
an hour. Meanwhile, the object of these tender attentions 
stands at the distance of about half a yard, apparently lis¬ 
tening wdth maiden coyness and looks half averted, an atten¬ 
tive and admiring spectator. 
The nest of this species is sometimes placed upon the 
ground beside a tuft of grass, or beneath the shelter of low 
herbage, sometimes in a hole in a pollard tree, or a crevice 
in an old wall. It is in all cases well bedded in the surface 
in which it is placed. We have found it in the middle of a 
turnip field, hidden among the spreading leaves. Advan¬ 
tage is taken in most cases of a convenient depression in the 
surface of the ground, in which the nest is constructed as 
in a cup, the inner part only being visible, and the upper 
edge of the nest on a level with the earth. We have also 
taken the nest and eggs of this species from the crotvn of a 
pollard willow by the side of the Thames, at an elevation of 
about eight’feet from the ground. The nest was placed in 
a cavernous recess among the stumps. It was chiefly com¬ 
posed of dry skeleton leaves intermixed with the more usual 
materials. 
The parent bird is extremely solicitous for her young or 
eggs, and will suffer herself almost to be taken off the nest 
before she makes any effort to leave them. When com¬ 
pelled to leave her nest, she retreats to but little distance. 
