Nesting of Birds in Fohkien. 47 



His series of some seventy or eighty skins (which 

 are now in the British Museum), shot in all mouths of 

 the year, shew a regular gradation from the largest to the 

 smallest. The average measurements of these is as follows : — 

 Wing 3'54 in., tarsus 1*18, bill from gape "80, hind claw *56. 

 Thirty-six specimens average in length 6*92 inches. 



The call-note of the two races is identical and very 

 different from that of any other Pipit that visits Foochow. 

 The song (if it can be called so), as noted by Rickett, is 

 merely a repetition of notes sounding like " chi, chi, chee, 

 chee, chee," the last three in a rapidly descending scale. 

 It is uttered on the ground, from the top of a bush or small 

 tree, or when the bird is soaring in the air somewhat after 

 the manner of a Skylark. 



We have taken very few nests of this bird, common as it is. 

 This is due to the cunningness with which they are concealed 

 and to the wariness of the old birds. One of the pair (? $ ) 

 is always on the watch, and on the approach of an intruder 

 takes wing, uttering its loud clear double call-note ; the 

 sitting bird (which has run some way through the grass) 

 shortly afterwards joins its mate, and the two fly round in the 

 air or settle on some bush or Chinese grave till the danger is 

 past. 



The first nest was found by accident. A momentary 

 glimpse of a bird with food in its mouth, dropping behind a 

 ridge, led to the discovery of a nest with four hard-set eggs. 

 The sitting bird fluttered along the ground, feigning a broken 

 wing. 



The nest, which is a loose cup of dry grass with sometimes 

 a few fine twigs or a little moss, and lined with fine dry grass, 

 roots, and hair, is placed in a hollow under a thick tuft of 

 grass or herbage. 



The eggs, four or five in number, are laid in April and 

 May. They are ovate in shape and average "80 X "61 in. 



The ground-colour is dull light greenish white, spotted, 

 speckled, and streaked longitudinally with sepia-brown and 

 dark and light purple, over underlying violet-grey blotches, 

 spots, and streaks. 



