150 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



visitor only, but a few ascend the mountains in 

 summer to breed. In Greece and Asia Minor it is 

 a passing migrant, but it winters in North-western 

 India, possibly in Persia, and in Palestine and Africa. 

 Its southern limits in Africa are at present undeter- 

 mined, although the bird has been obtained in lat. 

 5° south at an elevation of 8000 feet (on Mount 

 Elgon), where, however, it may probably breed. 



The Tree Pipit arrives in its summer haunts in 

 the British Islands in April. It is rather a late 

 migrant, not appearing, even in the south of 

 England, much before the middle of the month, 

 and from one to two weeks later in the north of 

 England and in Scotland. The favourite haunts of 

 this Pipit are farm-lands which are well sprinkled 

 with trees, open spaces in the old forests (such as 

 Sherwood, Epping, and the New Forest), parks, 

 and the borders of woods and plantations. Perhaps 

 an unskilled observer might confuse this bird with 

 the Wood-Lark, but its trim and slim appearance, 

 long tail and Wagtail-like carriage will soon dispel 

 the illusion. We have often remarked how greatly 

 attached this species is to certain haunts, appearing 

 to return to them every summer, even to the iden- 

 tical field or wood, even to use the same perching 

 place on the trees 1 This we believe to be a habit 

 common to all migratory birds, easily remarked in 

 such species as the Swallow, but apt to be overlooked 

 in less familiar species. The Tree Pipit seldom 



