CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. l6l 



some thirty or forty feet, and, hovering in the air for 

 a while with outspread wings, it pours forth a very 

 pretty little song which it continues as it descends 

 and until it has resumed its old place. 



The habits of this little bird are so much those of 

 the Meadow- Pipit in regard to food, etc., that I do 

 not propose to say anything more on that matter. A 

 nest that was shown to me was built in a grassy bank 

 which formed the boundary of a lawn-tennis ground, 

 and contained young ; it was well concealed. The 

 eggs of this species, four to six in number, vary 

 much in colour: in regard to this variety Howard 

 Saunders says, " Greyish-white mottled with deep 

 brown ; others are rich reddish-brown, some are 

 almost lilac - pink, and, again, a not uncommon 

 variety resembles the eggs of the Reed- Bunting." 



The Tree- Pipit appears to be pretty well dis- 

 tributed over the Continent as a breeding-species, 

 and also to be in evidence, either as a migrant or 

 winter resident, on the northern portion of Africa, 

 extending to Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, and in 

 summer to Siberia. 



The specimens were obtained in North Wales. 

 Of the three species shown, this one is the slenderest 

 and most graceful, having some oblique markings at 

 the side of the neck. 



The Rock-Pipit. 

 This, the largest of the three British species of 

 Pipits, is resident with us and is pretty well dis- 

 tributed over our islands in localities suitable to its 



