MEADOW-PIPIT. 677 



its tail up and down like a Wagtail, but less rapidly and 

 violently, and then resume its occupation. The stomach of 

 one, examined by Thompson in the month of December, 

 contained two perfect specimens of the shell of Bulhnus 

 lubricus, and that of another was filled with oats and 

 barley. Small seeds are frequently found to have been 

 swallowed by it in winter, but the Icu'vce of insects appear to 

 be its staple food. In confinement it is said to be a very 

 voracious bird. 



The nest is usually built on or in the ground, being placed 

 at the side of a bank, in a depression or under the shelter of 

 a tuft of grass : it is constructed externally of dried bents, 

 lined with finer bents, fibres and hairs. The eggs of this 

 species are subject to much variety, but not to the same 

 wonderful extent as those of the preceding, and never seem 

 to present the warm colouring so often found in those of 

 the Tree-Pipit. The ground is french-white, but almost 

 entirely hidden by a close mottling of brown or brownish- 

 grey, both these colours varying very much in tint — in one 

 direction becoming of a yellow-brown and in the other of a 

 dull purple, while not unfrequently a decidedly green hue 

 is perceptible. They are from four to six in number, and 

 measure from '83 to "72, by from -6 to -53 in. There are 

 commonly two broods in the course of the season, and the 

 parents display great anxiety on behalf of their ofi'spring, 

 feigning lameness to divert the attention of intruders from 

 the nest. Thompson mentions that a nest of this bird 

 which was known to his friend, Mr. J. R. Garrett, was dis- 

 covered by some boys, Avho pulled the grass away that con- 

 cealed it. On visiting it the next day, he observed a 

 quantity of withered gi-ass laid regularly across ; and on 

 removing this, — which, from its contrast in colour with the 

 surrounding herbage, he considered must have been placed 

 there as a mark by the boys, — the bird flew off. The fol- 

 lowing day, he found the grass similarly placed, and perceived 

 a small aperture beneath it by which the bird took its de- 

 parture, thus indicating that the screen, which harmonized 

 so ill with the surrounding verdure, had been brought there 



VOL. I. 4 E 



