( < In winter they lofe the black on the throat and chin, 

 which at that feafon become white, and in this ftate have been 

 confidered as a variety ; but it is a change that conftantly 

 takes place at that period of the year, and they regain their 

 former plumage early in the fpring." 



Its neft is compofed of mofs and dry fibres, interwoven 

 with wool, and lined with hair and feathers ; they lay four 

 or five white eggs, fpotted with various tints of brown ; 

 they very nearly refemble in colour thofe of the cuckoo, 

 which frequently depofits her egg in the neft of this bird ; 

 they are very attentive to their young, and ufe many little 

 arts to divert attention from the neft, they are very bold in 

 its defence, and attack the cuckoo, and endeavour to drive her 

 from it ; though they do not feem to difcover the addition in 

 the neft made by this bird, yet they will induftrioufly remove 

 any fmall fubftance that may have been put into the neft ; they 

 ufually build on the ground among ftones, alfo in holes in 

 banks and trees, and we found one this feafon (1811) in the 

 aperture above the handle of a pump that was out of ufe, in 

 a gravel-pit between Camberwell and Brixton. 



The Wagtail is a lively active bird, and is very plentiful 

 throughout this country ; it makes partial migrations from the 

 interior to the coaft, as the weather becomes fevere, but we 

 believe never quits this kingdom \ its ufual haunts are fliallow 

 pools or ftreams, where it meets with abundance of infe&s, 

 which it takes in the manner of the fly-catcher, by jumping 

 at them as they pafs over ; it wades in mallow parts, and 

 is very induftrious in the fearch after thofe fpecies of infe£ts 

 that run on the furface of the water ; it alfo frequents new 

 ploughed land, flieep-folds, and cattle-pens, where the infects 



are 



