WAGTAIL. 317 



The White Wagtail frequents watery places for the most part, 

 feeding- on flies and other insects ; hence this, and others of the Genus, 

 have been called Washerwomen, and Dishwashers;* it makes the 

 nest on the ground, sometimes in the hole of an old building, t com- 

 posed of dry grass, fine fibres of roots, and moss, lined with hair or 

 feathers ; the eggs as far as five in number, white, spotted with light 

 brown and ash-colour, each weighing about 49 grains, J and exactly 

 resembling that of the Cuckow ; and this nest is one in which the 

 female Cuckow deposits her egg. It is frequently seen running on the 

 ground, which it does very quick, leaping up often after the flies, &c. 

 when flying too high to admit of their seizing them on its legs. 



This is a species very far spread, and found in greater or smaller 

 numbers throughout the Old Continent, where it appears to be more or 

 less migratory : in this kingdom is seen at all times, but much fewer in 

 winter; at which season we are told they are to be met with in the 

 marshes, subject to the flow of the tide, when none are to be found 

 inland ; and in the north of England, and in Scotland they are scarcely 

 ever observed in hard weather. 



It is first seen at Gibraltar, and in the neighbouring parts of 

 Spain, in September and October; frequenting all parts of the 

 Isthmus, town, and hill, during winter, attending the cattle with 

 the Grey Species, and Titlark ; is found also in Barbary. Sonnini 

 observes, that it is common in the northern parts of Egypt, but not 

 in the southern. || We have seen it more than once in Chinese 

 drawings, as well as those from India. It is called at Calcutta, 

 Kunjun ;§ is a common bird in Russia and Siberia, and found also 

 in Kamtschatka, but advances not to the Arctic Regions. 



* By the French, Lavandiere, Blanchisseuse. 



f Sometimes on the top of an old pollard tree. — Om. Diet. % Id. 



|| Travels, iii. 199. § In General Hardwicke's drawings called also Mamola, 



Abul fezil, and Kunjun (Hind) — said to weigh 13s drachms. 



