HIRDS OLI' THE BUFFALO BASIN 229 



9. The cnp-sliaped nest is built on the ground and is 

 formed externally of small grass-tufts and other rough 

 vegetable material within which lies the cup proper, con- 

 sisting in different nests of such varied substances as 

 hare's fur, goat's hair, tine flowering grass-stems and fine 

 roots with some rougher vegetable material. 



Out of fifteen nests examined three contained four eggs, 

 and in those cases where the sitting bird was obtained 

 it has always been the female. 



The ground colour of the egg is clouded white, with 

 a faint greenish tinge in some cases and in others a de- 

 cided stone shade; this is profusely mottled over with 

 spots and blotches (inclining to streaks) of various 

 shades of brown with underlying steely markings. As 

 is usual among pipits, the eggs are subject to variation, 

 and in some the underlying steely markings are missing. 

 They measure on an average 2-1 mm. by 17.5. 



