H8 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



the dunes of France and Holland. It is a bird of sandy wastes, 

 and in summer is sandy brown or tawny in general colour, 

 though tinged with grey and streaked on the back, but with 

 few markings on the throat and flanks. The under parts are 

 huffish white. Length, 6*5 ins. Wing, 3-5 ins. Tarsus, ri ins. 



Richard's Pipit. Afithns richardi Vieillot. 



The range of Richard's Pipit is Asiatic, northerly and central 

 in summer, more southerly in winter, but it has frequently 

 travelled westward into Europe and has been met with on our 

 south and east coasts ; it has also reached the Shetlands and 

 Scotland, and more rarely Ireland. According to the " Hand- 

 book," the known records exceed eighty. It is a large, long- 

 legged bird, noticeable by its size and height from the ground ; 

 the hind claw is exceptionally long. The throat in adult birds 

 is white, and the two outer tail feathers are mostly white. 

 Length, 8 ins. Wing, 37 ins. Tarsus, 1*2 ins. 



Water- Pipit. AntJms spinoktta (Linn.). 



Many of the supposed British Water-Pipits were Rock- 

 Pipits of the Scandinavian race, but the bird is, nevertheless, 

 a more or less regular visitor to the south-east of England and 

 has occurred elsewhere, even in Ireland. It is a native of the 

 mountains of southern and central Europe and a partial 

 migrant ; it has reached us both in spring and autumn. See- 

 bohm contended that Alpine Pipit was more descriptive and 

 less confusing than its older name. In size and general colour 

 it resembles the Rock-Pipit, but may always be distinguished 

 by the white marks on the outer pair of tail feathers and the 

 tips of the second pair, which in the Rock are indistinct and 

 smoke-grey. It is a greyish and sandy brown bird with a 

 slate-coloured head in summer, with hardly any streaks on the 



