THE ROCK PIPIT. 



119 



In its manner of flight and song the Rock Pipit resembles 

 the Meadow Pipit, but its usual haunts are very different, 

 for it is seen only on the sea-coast and the immediate 

 vicinity. Mr. Hardy remarks that there are always swarms 

 of minute flies of the genus Limosina bred in the decaying 

 sea-weeds, and that these constitute part of its food, and 

 are picked up with alacrity. He adds that in spring and 

 winter these Pipits resort to the sheep-folds and recently 

 ploughed fields at some distance inland, in quest of insect 

 food.^ 



The nest, which is composed of dry grass, is placed 

 upon the ground, or upon some of the ledges of rock facing 

 the sea, under the shelter of a tuft of grass. A nest was 

 found amongst some whins in a turnip field at Oldcambus 

 on the 23rd of July 1868. The eggs, which are four or five 

 in number, are rather larger than those of the Meadow Pipit, 

 or the Tree Pipit ; and the ground colour, which is white, is 

 usually thickly mottled over with greyish brown or olive. 

 The hind claw is slightly longer than the hind toe. 



1 Hist. Ber. Mat. Club, vol. ix. p. 392. 



