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 referable 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 (i8ii) 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 adive 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 fhallow 
pools or ftreams, where it meets with abundance of infeds, 
which it takes in the manner of the fly-catcher, by jumping 
at them as they pafs over ; it wades in fliallow parts, and 
is very induftrious in the fearch after thofe fpecies of infers 
that run on the furface of the water ; it alfo frequents new 
ploughed land, flicep-folds, and cattle-pens, where the infeas 
arc 
