THE PIPITS. 107 



more generally in the latter localities during the winter season. 

 Many migrate south in winter, and it is noticeable that those 

 which return to England in the spring are much brighter in 

 plumage than those which are resident in the British Islands. 

 On the south coast of England there appears to be a small 

 resident race of Meadow-Pipit. 



Range outside the British Islands. — Generally distributed through- 

 out Central and Northern Europe, ranging eastwards to the 

 Valley of the Ob. Principally known as a winter visitor 

 to the Mediterranean countries, and wintering in Northern 

 and North-eastern Africa. 



Habits. — As the name denotes, the present species is more 

 a bird of the meadows than of the trees, like the foregoing 

 bird, but it does occasionally perch on trees and bushes, 

 though its life is principally passed on the ground. It is 

 found in nearly every kind of situation, on moorland and the 

 sides of hills, where its short song is often heard in the spring, 

 as it takes brief flights into the air and descends again to the 

 ground It is especially common near the sea-shore, and 

 frequents the beach and the saltings, where numbers may 

 be seen at any time of the year ; and though the species 

 cannot be said to be gregarious during the breeding season, 

 they are found in small parties in the autumn, and sometimes 

 even in large flocks. During the shooting season, the Meadow- 

 Pipit is a frequent object in the turnip-fields, as, when dis- 

 turbed, it either flies away silently and drops down again a 

 little further on, or flies round and round before settling, 

 uttering a " peep "-ing note. It the winter it may be seen 

 running along the edge of ice-holes in search of food, and 

 then often frequents the shores of rivers, and is sometimes 

 driven to seek its sustenance in farmyards. The food con- 

 sists almost entirely of insects, which it often pursues into the 

 air like a Flycatcher. It is also said to eat small worms and 

 fresh-water mollusca, while it has also been known to feed on 

 seeds and grain when hard pressed. 



Nest. — Composed of dry grass with an admixture of moss, 

 and lined with finer grass or hair. It is always placed on the 

 ground. 



Eggs. — From fcur to six in number, and somewhat variable 



