11 



^^3.86 1 29 



TREE -PIPIT {Anthus trimalis). 



A summer visitor arriving early in April, frequenting enclosed 

 and woody districts. The male has a song not unlike a canary, and he 

 may be seen perched on the top of a bush or tree, from whence he 

 rises singing into the air, returning often to the branch from which he 

 started. The food consists of insects and small seeds. The nest is 

 placed on the ground near woods and plantations, and is formed of 

 moss and dry grass, lined with hair. Four to six eggs are laid varying 

 reatly in colour and marking (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 3). 



Case 130. 



MEADOW-PIPIT {Anthus pratensis). 

 Local name : Titlark. 

 Generally distributed throughout the British Islands both in the 

 high moors and low-h-ing districts. Locally it is the commonest bird 

 on the sand-hills. Its food consists of insects, worms, snails, and seeds. 

 Large numbers migrate for the winter but many individuals remain 

 throughout the year. The nest is placed on the ground and is made of 

 dry grass, lined with finer grass and hair. The eggs, numbering from 

 four to six, are greyish white, thickly mottled with shades of brown 

 (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 3), and the resident birds breed 

 earlier than the migrants- -usually two broods a year. 



Case 131. 



ROCK-PIPIT {Antkus ohscurus). 



Frequents the more rocky portions of Great Britain, especially 

 during the breeding season — Walney Island is a well-known breeding 

 haunt of this species. The sandy coasts of our locality are unsuited to 

 this rock-loving species, but its nest has been found on the rocky islets 

 of Hilbre (Coward, " Birds of Cheshire," p. 66). The food consists 

 mainly of small marine shells, crustaceans and insects which may be 

 found among seaweed. The nest is found in rock crevices on the 

 grassy ledge of a clifi, or among clumps of seapinks. The eggs are 

 greenish grey, mottled with olive brown, and number four or five 

 (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 3). Two broods are reared in a 

 season. 



Case 132. 



DARTFORD WARBLER {Melizophilus undatus). 



The Dartford Warbler is a resident in the South of England, and is 

 rarely met with in the valley of the Thames and in some of the midland 

 counties. It does not migrate and in severe winters its numbers are 

 liable to be greatly reduced. The nest, placed among the branches of 



