180 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



breast are dentate, nearly as in {a). (c) September : the 

 dentate markings are now transverse parallels, and are not so 

 heavy as in {a) and (6). It seems to me the stage (6) is a 

 one-year-old, while (c) is matured or two years old. The 

 presence of bars or stripes on the under surface seems to 

 denote the meaning of flagosus. 



Nest. — Being parasitic birds they use other birds' nests. 

 This species places one egg in the nest of a Tit principally. 



Egg. — One to a nest ; occasionally two will lay one each in 

 the same nest ; uniform bronze colour. Length, 0.65 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.5 inch. 



PIPIT 



(Gkound-Lark), 



Anthiis australis, Vig. and Hors. 



An'tJms ds-lra'lis. 



AntJms, a small bird ; australis, southern. 



Anthtjs australis, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iii., pi. 73. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 



«• 



Key to the Species. — General plumage tawny, exceedingly dark in 

 some cases and very light in others ; outer tail feathers white, 

 without any brown on the outer webs ; second, third, fourth, and 

 fifth primaries distinctly emarginate ; minor secondary quills 

 nearly as long as the primaries ; bill slender, the profile of the 

 culmen swollen from centre to tip. 



Our Meadow Pipit is so well known that it scarcely needs 

 more than a passing mention. But for the benefit of those 

 who are not conversant with its habits I offer the following 

 observations : — The Pipits differ from the Larks in some 

 particulars. The bill is not only more slender than that of 



