6o 



BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



1Roch ipipit. 



The Rock Pipit {Anthus obscunis, Latham) is a resident 

 in the British Islands ; it also occurs as a summer visitant in 

 Northern Europe, and in winter is found in Central and 

 Southern Europe. The adult male in summer plumage is 

 olive-brown above, the feathers having dark centres ; wings 

 and tail, dark brown, with paler edges to the former and 

 olivaceous edges to the latter ; eye-stripe, buffish-yellow ; 

 throat, dull white ; beneath, buffish-yellow, feathers closely 

 mottled with dark brown centres ; irides, brown ; bill, legs, 

 and feet, brown ; the hind claw is much curved. Length, 

 about six inches. The adult female resembles the male, 

 but underneath is less spotted. The young are darker in 

 colouration, and the under parts are more heavily marked. 



