180 ANTHUS. PIPIT. 



rather long, is very much shorter. Indeed there can be no doubt 

 whatever, that the Pipits are precisely intermediate between the 

 Larks and the Quaketails and Wagtails. In their digestive or- 

 gans they resemble the Larks, at least in the form and great 

 muscularity of the gizzard, which is much compressed on the 

 edges ; and they use a considerable quantity of gravel to aid 

 in triturating their food. 



They are small, slender, active birds, remarkable for their 

 sharp, rather weak, notes, which they utter in a rapid manner, 

 and for their habit of vibrating the body when standing. They 

 frequent meadows and pastures, but may be seen in all kinds 

 of situation, on the sea-shore, and on elevated moors, although 

 each species has its peculiar predilections. They nestle among 

 the grass, generally beside a tuft, turf, or stone, form a rather 

 large, neatly constructed nest, which is lined with finer fila- 

 ments, and deposit four or five spotted eggs. Frequently two 

 broods are reared in the season. They are social, but not 

 strictly gregarious ; have a rapid, wavering, undulatory flight ; 

 and feed for the most part upon insects, pupse, and larvae, but 

 also on seeds of various kinds. 



Four species occur in Britain : Richard's Pipit, the Wood 

 Pipit, the Meadow Pipit, and the Rock Pipit. Of these the 

 first is extremely rare, the second not uncommon, but often 

 confounded with the third, which is generally distributed, 

 while the fourth occurs chiefly in the vicinity of the sea. I 

 shall describe first the most common species. 



