MEADOW PIPIT. 187 



advances in age, the bill becomes stronger and darker ; the 

 toes assume a dusky tint, and the claws are ultimately blackish, 

 excepting the tip of the hind claw, which always remains light- 

 coloured and transparent. 



Remarks. — It is not wonderful that the older ornithologists, 

 who attended more to colour than to form, should have con- 

 founded the Pipits, and sometimes made several species out of 

 one ; but the characters which these birds present when closely 

 examined are quite sufficient to enable any person to distin- 

 guish the species at once. Montagu describes the present bird 

 in its perfect jDlumage, that is in winter, wdien the feathers are 

 complete, under the name of Pipit Lark, and in its faded or 

 summer plumage under that of Tit Lark. Of the former, he 

 observes, " we have never been able to procure one specimen 

 in summer ;" — certainly not, for in that season the colours are 

 materially altered. On more mature consideration, however, 

 having examined specimens at all seasons, he came to the con- 

 clusion that the Pipit Lark and the Tit Lark are one and the 

 same species. And here, it may not be improper to observe, 

 that the perfect plumage, in which all species ought to be first 

 described, is that of winter, when the feathers have their edge- 

 ings complete. The abrasion which subsequently takes place, 

 may frequently bring out brighter and more uniform tints, as 

 in the Linnets ; but still the plumage in summer is always 

 imperfect. 



The jNleadow Pipit is the species to which the charge of the 

 young Cuckoo is most frequently consigned. This circumstance 

 has not eluded the observation of our country people, who, hav- 

 ing often seen the " Gowk " followed by the " Titling," employ 

 the comparison derisively in speaking of a parasite and his 

 patron, not aware that here the larger and more patron-looking 

 animal is really the parasite. 



