. Cassell's natural history . long us to enable the latter to reacli tlie ground wliilc • MotiR-illii Alba. THK WAfilAILS, 213 the axis of the body is horizonta], so ihat the shoulders must dqi mucli wlicn llic bill isbrought to a level with tlic feet. A biid so formed would be verj- apt to tumble forwardsif it had not some means of working a couiitirpoise, and tluit eounterpoise is the ^Hien that is expanded and struck forward against the air, it acts in nearty the samemanner as a wing, and pulls the body of the bird backwards, so that the liead is raisedwith comparatively litt
. Cassell's natural history . long us to enable the latter to reacli tlie ground wliilc • MotiR-illii Alba. THK WAfilAILS, 213 the axis of the body is horizonta], so ihat the shoulders must dqi mucli wlicn llic bill isbrought to a level with tlic feet. A biid so formed would be verj- apt to tumble forwardsif it had not some means of working a couiitirpoise, and tluit eounterpoise is the ^Hien that is expanded and struck forward against the air, it acts in nearty the samemanner as a wing, and pulls the body of the bird backwards, so that the liead is raisedwith comparatively little effort. All birds that liave the same length of tarsi in propor-tion to that of the neck and bill, have a similar action of the tail; but as that structure,and also the habit of picking up fViod on a level with the feet, is more remarkable in thewagtails than in any other Eritish birds, the motion of the tail is more powerful in them,and the tail is also longer in proportion. But the habit may be seen in very many birds,. THE PIED WAGTAIL, FEMALE. both in enabling them to raise the head, and to retain it in an erect position. Themagpie is a familiar instance, and so is the peacock—which would tumble backwards ifhe were to raise the body in the same manner when the tail is down as he does when it iserected and spread. THE GRAY ^^■AGTAIL.* This is a beautiful .species of the wagtails. These birds are found throughoutEurope ; but in the greatest numbers in mountainous and wooded parts, where the brooksflow over beds of pebbles. They are birds of passage. THE YELT/)^V WAGTAIL, f When wild, this species, better known than the preceding, is foimd throughout theplains of Europe, running about the pastures among the sheep and cattle. Theyassemble in SciJtember, and depart for warmer countries in large flights, uttering thecry, iipp, sijij). in a clear tone. Its nest, made of stubble, and lined with -nool, isplaced at the water-side, or in a deserted molehill, and sometimes, li
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
