378 
PIED WAGTAIL. 
during constitution than the other kinds, because 
it suffers the alternations of our seasons without 
removing to other situations. It is resident with us 
all the year. Its actions however clearly indicate 
the possession of powers of accommodating itself 
to circumstances of necessity ; not that the species 
acts in concert, or that the movements and ope¬ 
rations of the individuals are simultaneous and 
uniformly similar, on the contrary, each bird seems 
intent on its own peculiar interests, and it having 
been ordained that the appetite of this species of 
bird should not be restricted or very limited in ca¬ 
pacity, some individuals are found to diet on the 
sea-shore, whereby greater space is allowed to other 
individuals to procure food. In summer however, 
when the supply of food is so ample for the gene¬ 
rality of creatures, the number of Wagtails haunting 
the beaches is very small, whereas towards winter 
they augment greatly. Although I have said that 
the individuals appear to have separate and exclu¬ 
sive interests, yet it seems that some portion of the 
kind congregate, shifting their residence and their 
search for food from spot to spot, moving in small 
societies. During summer they may be found dis¬ 
tributed by the sides of rivers and ponds, on roads, 
and in gardens, besides being also on the shores 
and inlets, as before said. In June, I have seen 
them both in that situation, and in my own garden, 
and before the house on the roadsearchingforinsects. 
The young are seen much on commons, feeding 
on the flies, &c. disturbed by the tread of sheep 
and other grazing animals. About September, they 
are more particularly noticed arriving in the vicinity 
of houses and stable-yards. From that time on 
through the winter, they obtrude themselves greatly 
in gardens, where they pick up the insects disturbed 
by the spade of the gardener, which had secreted 
themselves and been wrapt in their winter’s sleep, 
