PIPITS — SKYLARK. 79 



by Meadow Pipits in summer. Nevertheless breeding- pairs 

 may occasionally be found in various situations, and examples 

 are observed in Port Meadow at all seasons (H. A. Macpherson, 

 MS.). The Meadow Pipit passes us on mig-ration in spring- 

 in small flocks, remaining but a short time, and in autumn 

 in greater plenty. An extract from my note-book for 1886 

 gives some idea of this migration. On the 26th September, 

 and all the fine week following, ' Meadow Pipits have been 

 passing over the village. They seem to rest and feed during 

 the day, and about an hour before sunset you may see them in 

 small parties, and singly, rising from the turnip-fields, and 

 after attaining a certain height, go off south. This afternoon 

 more than fifty passed in a very short time, many rising 

 singly. ■* On the 20th October in the same year the Cher well 

 meadows were full of Meadow Pipits in large flocks, but they 

 had almost all disappeared a week later. A certain nmnber 

 remain during the winter months even in the most severe 

 weather, frequenting the wetter parts of the meadows as long 

 as any unfrozen ground exists, and the banks of the streams, 

 and being always f oimd on Port Meadow ; at that season also 

 they are constant attendants on the sheep folded on the arable 

 land, wdiere they become very familiar, running about in the 

 pens close to the observer and often settling on the bars 

 of the hurdles. 



KICHARD'S PIPIT. ^ ^ 



Anthus richardi. 

 Richard's Pipit, a rare visitor to the shores of England in 

 autumn, has occurred in this county in one instance. Rennie, 

 in his edition of Montague's Ornithological Dictionary, pub- 

 lished in 1 83 1, mentions that a specimen was taken alive 

 at Oxford. 



THE SKYLARK. [ '% 



Alauda arvensis. 

 The Skylark is an abundant resident, breeding very nume- 

 rously, especially on the high corn lands, where in spring their 



