182 



MEADOW PIPIT. 



TITLARK. PIPIT LAEK. TITLIXG. MEADOW TITLIXG. 

 MOSS CHEEPEE. LIXG BIED. GEEY CHEEPEE. MEADOW LAEK. 



Anthus pratensis, Fle.aiing. Latham. Selby. Gould. 



Alauda " Pexxant. Latham. 



" trivialis, MoxTAGU. 



" campestriSf Latham. 



Anthus — Some small bird. Pratensis — Of, or pertaining to meadows. 



The Titlark is a native of tlie three continents of the old 

 world — Europe, Asia, and Africa. It occurs throughout the 

 whole of the first-named quarter of the globe, ascending as 

 high in the 'scale of nations,' as the Ferroe Islands and 

 Iceland, the Orkneys and Shetland, Denmark, Norway, and 

 Sweden, and even bejond the Arctic circle; in all the more 

 temperate regions also — Holland, Dalmatia, and Sicily; and in 

 the latter, in Egypt, Asia Minor, and Jayjan; and doubtless 

 in numberless other regions. It is a very common and well- 

 known species v/ith us — one of our 'hardj- perennials;' also in 

 Ireland and Scotland the same. 



Meadows and marshland, hill and dale, waste and wilderness, 

 moorland and heath, arable and pasture land, all are the 

 home of the sober-clad little bird before us, but especially 

 the wilder districts. It is found on the summits of our 

 highest mountains, and even in the lowest depths of the 

 plain belovr. I have observed them in hard weather to fre- 

 quent much the neighbourhood of the sea, searching and 

 finding among the heaps of sea-weed, 'food convenient for 

 them;' and indeed at all times the sandy places that are to 

 be met with along the line of coast, are a favourite resort 



