THE ROCK PIPIT. 177 



editor, however, Rennie, states that he has noticed it to 

 be, if not quite gregarious, at least very nearly so, on 

 the wild rocky shores of N'ormandy ; and, from my own 

 acquaintance with its habits in Devon and Cornwall, I 

 am inclined to agree with the latter. If not gregarious, 

 it is at least sociable, and that too at seasons when the 

 flocks could hardly have been family gatherings only. 

 Tlie same remark holds good of the Meadow Pipit. 



RICHAED'S PIPIT. 



ANTHUS RICHARDI. 



Bill strong; tarsus very long; hind claw much longer than the toe, slightly 

 curved ; ii[)iper plumage light brown, the centre of each feather dark brown ; 

 a broad white streak above the eye ; lower parts white, streaked with dark 

 brown. Length six inches and a half. Eggs unknown. 



Of this rare bird very few specimens have been observed 

 ill England, and it is equally uncommon on the Continent. 

 It cannot be confounded with either of the other Pipits, 

 being much their superior in size. 



THE SKYLARK. 



ALAUDA ARVENSIS. 



Upper parts reddish brown, the centre of each feather dark brown; a faint 

 whitish streak above the eyes ; throat white ; neck and breast whitish, tinged 

 with yellow and red, and streaked with dark brown ; tail moderate. Length 

 seven inches and a quarter. Eggs greyish, thickly speckled with dark grey 

 and brown. 



The Skylark, a bird whose flight and song are better known 

 perhaps than those of any other bird, needs but a simple 

 biography. The favourite bird of the poets, its story 

 might be told jn extracts compiled from various authors 

 whose muse has led them to sing of Nature. Much, how- 

 ever, that has been written is but an amplification of the 

 golden line, "Hark, the Lark at Heaven's gate sings!" 

 and not a little is an exaggerated statement of the height 



