574 MOTACILLIDiE. 



dark brown ; the legs, toes and claws, pale yellow-brown ; 

 the hind claws considerably curved, and shorter than the 

 toe. 



The whole length is about six inches and a half. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the wing, three inches and 

 three-eighths : the second, third and fourth primaries nearly 

 equal in length, but the fifth is considerably shorter, and 

 the longest tertial reaches as far as, or beyond the longest 

 primary when the wing is closed. 



The male is rather larger than the female and has the 

 spots on the breast better defined ; but the two sexes are 

 nearly alike in plumage. At the autumnal moult, the 

 bird acquires a greenish tint on the upper surface of the 

 body, and an ochreous-yellow on the throat and breast. 

 The young much resemble the adults at that season. 



Scarcely any two British birds have been so frequently con- 

 founded together as this and that which is next to be 

 described ; but when the two are examined in hand, distinc- 

 tions will be found that are sufficiently obvious and constant ; 

 and there are besides differences in the habits of these birds, 

 as well as in the localities they each frequent. The Tree- 

 Pipit is rather the larger bird of the two ; the bill is stouter 

 and stronger; the spots on the breast larger and fewer in 

 number ; the claw of the hind toe is not so long as the toe 

 itself ; in the wings the tertials are rather longer in proportion 

 to the primaries ; the white on the outer tail-feather on each 

 side is neither so pure in colour, nor is it spread over so 

 large a portion of the feather ; and the Tree-Pipit walks 

 slowly with somewhat of the gait of a gallinaceous bird, 

 while the Meadow-Pipit runs quickly like a Wagtail. 



The Tree-Pipit was rather needlessly made the type of a 

 distinct genus, Pi])astes, by Kaup, and it has been encumbered 

 with a great many specific names. That given by Bechstein, 

 Anthus arhorcus, though most commonly used for it, can well 

 be superseded, as it ought to be, by the older A. trivialis, as 

 having led to confusion with the Woodlark, Alauda arbor ea. 



