190 TREE PIPIT. 



of May, and departs again in September; sometimes a little 

 earlier. The males arrive a week or ten days before the 

 females. 



It is solitar}^ in its habits, and not gregarious like its 

 kindred species just described. 



The Tree Pipit will be seen to ascend upwards on quivering 

 wings a short distance from the spray on which it has been 

 perched, and having attained the moderate elevation to whicli 

 it had aspired, it again descends, with outstretched wings and 

 expanded tail, slowly, and with a sweep, to the same or some 

 neighbouring spot. Over and over again is the evolution gone 

 through by the happy little bird, which thus doubtless gives 

 vent to the exuberance of its feelings. It rarely alights on 

 the ground without having first halted on a tree, as a sort 

 of 'half-way house,' which it, in like manner, makes its 

 'Traveller's rest,' when leaving the ground for the short flight 

 that it may intend. 



Its food consists of flies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and 

 worms, and also small seeds. 



Like 'Annie Laurie's,' its 'voice is low and sweet,' a pretty 

 little song, warbled while perched on the branch of a tree, 

 or occasionally on the ground; and also, and most frequently, 

 while descending to it in the manner already described. It 

 begins in the spring and continues till Jul}^. It is but a 

 monosyllabic effusion, with therefore hardly any variety — a 

 *tsee, tsee, tsee,' often repeated. 



The nest is placed on the ground, in woods and plantations, 

 under the shelter or seci'ecy of some small bush, or tuft of 

 herbage, or perchance on the branch of some low bush, if 

 close to the ground. It is formed of small roots and grass, 

 with occasionally a little moss, and is lined with a few hairs. 

 It measures about three inches across, and about an inch in 

 thickness of construction. 



The eggs are four or five in number, and are generally 

 greyish white in colour, with a faint tinge of pm'ple, clouded 

 and spotted with purple brown, or purple red. They vary 

 almost 'ad infinitum,' more so, it is said, than those of any 

 other land bird. Some are dull bluish white, spotted with 

 purple brown; others reddish white, entirely covered with 

 specks of deep red; others reddish white, clouded with pale 

 purple grey, and finely streaked and spotted with rust black ; 

 others again pale purple red, minutely marked in a net-like 

 manner with a darker red. 



