266 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



area tossing themselves into the sky and falHng 

 back to the tree-tops, showering their notes broad- 

 cast the while. 



On the ground the Tree Pipit may be seen thread- 

 ing its way deliberately amidst the longer grasses, 

 not often appearing in the open and never to be 

 found running with the swift ease of the Titlark or 

 Wagtail on the mud-flats or the exposed margins 

 of brooks. L'nlike the Titlark it is a true migrant, 

 usually reaching these islands about the middle of 

 April and departing towards the end of September. 



The nest is formed of moss, fine roots and dry 

 grass, lined with finer grass and a few hairs. It is 

 usually placed on a hedgebank or amidst long 

 grass in the meadow near woods or plantations; 

 often when the trees are open, it is found in the 

 herbage of the wood itself. The eggs are four to 

 six in number and are subject to the greatest varia- 

 tion in colouring, three to four quite distinct types 

 being met with. The commonest form is greyish- 

 white, deeply suffused and mottled with rich red- 

 dish-brown. An occasional variety is of a dull 

 uniform pink, showing no markings. 



The Whinchat and the Yellow Wagtail are both 

 essentially birds of the fields. The Whinchat 

 resembles the Stonechat in shape and characteristic 

 movements, but is less striking in plumage. The 

 glossy blackness of the head and the rich, bay- 

 coloured breast, which in the distance gives the 

 latter something of the appearance of the Bullfinch, 

 is here replaced by dimmer and browner hues, 

 although still somewhat of the same character. The 



