1903 Our Common Mild Birds 223 



like the meadow-pipit, takes the place of the grey wagtail 

 in low-lying, flat meadow lands. It has a much shorter 

 tail, its upper parts arc greenish yclloiu, and the whole of 

 the under parts, as well as the throat, are yellow. 



The Meadow-Pipit {Anthus pratensis) and the following 

 species are nearly related to the wagtails, and belong to a 

 family of birds which naturalists call pipits and other people 

 call titlarks. About the size of a sparrow, light brown in 

 colour, with no characteristic markings but the speckled 

 breast, they look like little larks. The present species 

 inhabits the open country almost everywhere, from the 

 shore to the highest moors. We may see one or two 

 running before us as we cross a meadow, a furze-clad 

 heath, or the rock-strewn beach. They flit before us 

 calling, " peep-peep-peep-peep." On the wildest moors no 

 other small bird may be about, but the call of the meadow- 

 pipit is almost sure to be heard. In happy moments they 

 rise into the air a very little like the lark, very soon indeed to 

 descend, singing the while, " wit-wit-wit-wit-wit-wit," more 

 quickly uttered to the end of the song. 



The Tree-Pipit {A. trivialis), a summer visitor only, 

 is a much more interesting bird. As the two species are 

 identical to the unpractised eye, it is fortunate for the 

 young observer that they differ much in habits. The tree- 

 pipit haunts the neighbourhood of trees and especially 

 woods, perches tipon trees and sings in t)-ees, and these are 

 very uncommon traits of the meadow-pipit. The song of 

 the tree-pipit is delightful ; free, varied, and much resembling 

 the notes of a canary. It has the remarkable habit of sing- 

 ing at the top of a tall tree, whence it often rises slowly 

 into the air, singing all the time, takes a curve round and 

 slowly descends with outspread wings, singing still, to the 

 same or a neighbouring tree. 



The Skylark {Alauda arvensis) needs little introduction, 

 and one only need say that it is rather larger than a 

 sparrow, and the only bird which rises from the fields and 

 soars steadily high into the air, singing all the time its 

 loud, varied, and most cheering song. It often remains 

 suspended in the air for many minutes, then slowly 

 descends again, finally dropping like a stone to the earth, 



