THE YELLOW WAGTAIL. 
673 
weasels, and rats, often destroy the young birds at the 
nest, whilst Crows and Magpies kill numbers of “ flyers ; ” 
such persecutions prevent these elegant creatures from 
ever becoming very numerous. 
As a cage-bird the Yellow Wagtail is unfortunately 
useless, as it can but ill bear confinement: one may 
manage by feeding them with pieces of insects to wean 
them by degrees to Nightingale’s food, but they never 
live long. They are easily captured with a Nightingale- 
net, and without much trouble; but wherefore rob our 
mountain burns of such jewels ? The Yellow Wagtail, 
like all other members of the same family, is an 
exceptionally useful bird, and is on that account worthy 
of protection. 
