TREE PIPIT. 



385 



M. Bechstein separated tlie Pipits from the true Larks, 

 and proposed the generic term of Anthus for the former ; 

 this division and name have been generally adopted ; it would 

 still further assist correct definition, if among ourselves the 

 term Titlark could be discontinued entirely ; the Tree Pipit 

 being called the Titlark by some, the Meadow Pipit a Tit- 

 lark by others, and round the sea coast, where the Rock Pipit 

 is generally the most frequent of the three, that is also called 

 Titlark. Scarcely any two British Birds have been so fre- 

 quently confounded together as the Tree and the Meadow 

 PijDits ; but when the two species are examined in hand, dis- 

 tinctions will be found that are sufficiently obvious and con- 

 stant ; and there are besides differences in the habits of these 

 birds, as well as in the localities they each frequent. The 

 Tree Pipit is rather the larger bird of the two ; the beak is 

 stouter and stronger ; the spots on the breast larger and 

 fewer in number ; the claw of the hind toe is not so long as 

 the toe itself; the tertial feathers of the w'ings are rather 

 longer in proportion to the primaries ; the white on the outer 

 tail-feather on each side is neither so pure in colour, nor is it 

 spread over so large a portion of the feather ; and, as far as 

 my own observation goes, it does not appear to be so nu- 

 merous as a species as the Meadow Pipit. 



The Tree Pipit is a summer visiter to this country, arriv- 

 ing about the third week in April, and frequents the enclosed 

 and wooded districts of England ; it is not uncommon around 

 London, and I have observed it frequently in the highly cul- 

 tivated and wooded parts of Kent. The male has a pretty 

 song, perhaps more attractive from the manner in which it is 

 given than the quality of the song itself. He generally sings 

 while perched on the top of a bush, or one of the upper 

 branches of an elm-tree standing in a hedge row, from which, 

 if watched for a short time, he will be seen to ascend on qui- 

 vering wing about as high again as the tree, then stretching 



VOL. I. 2 c 



