126 MEADOW-PIPIT. 



are somewhat later. The nest, placed in a depression of the level 

 ground or the side of a bank among sheltering herbage, often in ling, 

 is constructed of dry grass with a lining of finer materials ; the eggs, 

 usually 4~6 in number, being greyish-white — sometimes with a green 

 tint — thickly mottled with different shades of brown, and, occasion- 

 ally, with a few hair-streaks at the larger end : average measurements 

 •78 by '57 in. Two broods are generally reared in the season. In 

 many districts, especially of moorland where other small species of 

 birds are comparatively scarce, the Cuckoo commonly deposits 

 its egg in tlie nest of the Meadow-Pipit. The song, feeble but 

 rather shrill, is generally uttered on the wing, but sometimes from a 

 stone or low bush. The food consists of insects, worms, small 

 snails and molluscs, with seeds in winter ; and in search of these 

 the bird may be seen working its way among grass or heather 

 with a slow creeping movement, varied by an occasional quick run. 

 Its flight is jerky and wavering. The scent emitted by the Titlark 

 is very strong, and dogs ' point ' it more frequently than they do any 

 other ground-bird. 



Adult male: eye-stripe narrow and dull white; upper parts olive- 

 brown, with dark stripes down the centre of the feathers ; quills 

 dark brown, with a greenish-yellow tint on the margins of the outer 

 webs ; wing-coverts and secondaries — the latter shorter than the 

 primaries — brown, edged with dull white ; tail dark brown, except 

 the outer pair of feathers which are white on the lower part, while 

 the second pair have a white spot near the tip ; under parts dull 

 white, streaked with brownish-black on the throat, gorget and flanks ; 

 bill dark brown above and at the tip, the rest paler ; legs and feet 

 pale brown ; hind claw longer than the hind toe, and only slightly 

 curved. Length 575 in. ; wing 3 in. The female is less richly 

 spotted below. After the autumn moult, the upper and the under 

 parts are suffused with a yellowish-buff tint ; and in spring this hue 

 is very noticeable on the throats of fresh arrivals from the Continent. 



The young are even more buff-coloured, but the streaks on the 

 under parts are smaller and browner than in the adults. 



