Zoology . . 287 



minutes or more, when the wind has been high, I have seen 

 them in vain trying to get into it; the constant motion of 

 the chimney preventing them from entering their airy dwell- 

 ing. The force of habit must be very strong to induce 

 birds to choose so inconvenient a situation. No doubt, how- - 

 ever, the feeling of security overcomes many other consider- 

 ations. I am, &c. — H, B. Blois, France, Jan. 7. 1832. 



The Pipit Lark distinct from the Meadow Pipit, or Tit- 

 lark. — Sir, I shall feel obliged by your insertion of a few 

 remarks upon the identity of the pipit lark; a species the 

 nature and habits of which do not seem sufficiently under- 

 stood. 1 have frequently observed a bird on Wandsworth 

 Common, which the bird-catchers call the pipit lark, and of 

 which, in the spring and autumn, they capture considerable 

 numbers. The upper parts of the plumage of this bird are 

 of a dark olive brown; the breast a dirty yellow, marked 

 with brown spots ; belly and vent yellowish white ; the tail 

 is olive brown, the exterior feathers white on the outer 

 margin. The female and young may be described in nearly 

 the same words, except that the plumage is not quite so 

 dark as in the male bird. I have consulted several authors, 

 but find no mention of this species being common in the 

 neighbourhood of London. Bewick mentions 'a bird very 

 similar to the present, but describes it as frequenting rocky 

 promontories and isles near the sea shore ; and all authors 

 agree that this species, the field lark (^lauda campestris 

 Linn.), is found only in the neighbourhood of the sea coast. 

 In Rennie's Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary, under the 

 article Tree Pipit, I find (p. 517.) th* following remark: 

 — '' Mr. Pennant says the birdcatchers about London take 

 a bird in the autumn they call pipit, but does not describe 

 it. We have great reason to believe that the bird so called 

 is the meadow pipit of this work, certainly not the grass- 

 hopper warbler, which, we believe, has been called pipit ; nor 

 is it likely to be the tree pipit, which leaves us at that season 

 in the same solitary manner it comes to us, and is never 

 known to be gregarious in this country." Now, it would 

 seem hardly possible that the lark which I have observed in 

 our neighbourhood, from its dark plumage and slight make, 

 could be confounded with the meadow pipit or titlark 

 (^lauda pratensis), and yet, in this case, I am inclined to think 

 such a mistake has been made. Montagu has evidently con- 

 sidered the two species one and the same : in this opinion, 

 however, I cannot concur, having shot male and female birds 

 of each species at the same time, both of which had nests 

 and eggs. It is surprising to me that when the fact of the 

 pipit lark's being a distinct species is known to every bird- 



