a 
P LSA? Bey 
This bird is very frequent in England, and is fpread throughout 
the whole of the old Continent; Latham fays he has more than once 
met with a reprefentation of it in Chinefe drawings: it extends as far 
as Iceland, the Feroe Ifles, and Drontheim; it is common in Ruffiay 
Siberia, and Kampt{chatka; but is not found in the more northern 
regions. 
It alfo inhabits /udia, a drawing which was done on the fpot being 
in the collection of Lady Impey *. 
It frequents the fides of pools and fmall rivulets ; and feeds on 
infects: it is often feen running on the ground with much celerity, or 
leaping up after flies: the tail is frequently in motion. birds of this 
genus feldom perch; fly in an undulating manner, and have a twitter- 
ing noife in fight. 
Willughby oblerves, that this {pecies fhifts its quarters in the win- 
ter; moving from the north to the fouth of England during that 
feafon. 
Latham fufpects that part of them migrate, as he does not recollect 
feeing fo many in winter, as in the fummer feafon, and fays, in Scot- 
land, and in the north of England, it is {carce ever feen in hard weather. 
This, and others of this clafs, are called, both by the French and 
Englith, Vajber-Women, or Difb-Wafhers, 
It is particularly ferviceable to the farmer in Spring and Autumn, 
by attending the plough to devour the larvz of infeéts, worms, &c. 
which are turned up; hence it is the intereft of the farmer to dif- 
courage any attempt to deffroy thofe birds, and to this circumftance 
they may owe much for their prefervation. 
a 
* Latham Supp. Gen, Syn, 1786 
