38 



Brilish Birds. 



The Water-Pipit. 



The Tawny Pipit is easily distin- 

 guished, when adult, by its uniform 

 plain-coloured under-surface of huffy 

 white, without any streaks on the 

 breast. These streaks are present in 

 youn^ birds, but are very indistinctly 

 indicated. The outer tail-feather is 

 almost entirely white, and has a 

 v^hite shaft, with a brown edging 

 to the inner \veb ; the next feather 

 has a brown shaft, and is blackish-brown, but the outer web is light buff and this 

 pale colour extends obliquely across the inner web to the tip. The sides of the face 

 are whitish, with a well-marked moustachial streak of dusky brown. The flanks are 

 uniform, and the wing-coverts ha\e broad margins of pale sandy colour. 



In its habits the Tawny Pipit is very Lark-like, soaring into the air for a little 

 distance and singing. The nest is placed on the ground, concealed under a tuft of 

 grass or a clod of earth, and is simply- made of dry grass, lined with fine roots or 

 horsehair. The eggs are from four to six in number, very pale, being white with 

 numerous dots of black and grey. 



The Water-Pipit (Anthus spipoletta). A rare visitor, some half-dozen speci- 

 mens having been procured in England and Wales, on the spring and autumn 

 migrations. Adult birds, with their uniform vinous-coloured breasts and also in their 

 striped winter plumage, might be mistaken for Rock-Pipits, but they may always be 

 distinguished by the white pattern on the outer tail-feathers, this light portion being 

 always smoky brown in the Rock-Pipit. The Meadow- Pipit has the end of the last 

 tail-feather but one white, whereas in the Tawn}' Pipit it is brown. The latter is 

 moreover, a larger bird than Antlius pratensis. The streaks on the flanks will always 

 distinguish the latter from the Tawny Pipit. 



The Water-Pipit, or, as Seebohm calls it. the Alpine Pipit, is an inhabitant of 

 the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, extending to Central Asia and 

 Baluchistan. It is found nesting beyond 

 the limits of forest-growth, and resembles 

 the Meadow-Pipit in habits, and soars 

 into the air to utter its song. The nest 

 is alwa3's on the ground, and is made of 

 dr}' grass and moss, lined with rootlets, 

 hair, or wool. The eggs are four or five 

 in number, dull white, closely mottled or 

 spotted with purplish-brown. 



The Rock-Pipit [Anthiis ohscurns). 

 This is also, like the Pied Wagtail, a The Rock-Pipit. 



