538 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Natal collected by Mr. Ayres, and Mr. Frank Oates shot it on 
the Kaarkloof Heights near Pietermaritzburg. Majors Butler and 
Feilden and Captain Reid state that in Natal it is an exceedingly 
common bird on the “ Veldt”’ in the upper portions of the colony. 
Several nests were taken near Newcastle and Ladysmith. 
In the Transvaal, writes Mr. Ayres :—‘‘ This Pipit is distributed 
during the winter months over the whole country, but more plenti- 
fully on high bare lands than in the bush or along the Limpopo. It 
feeds on insects, has a low dipping flight, and occasionally alights on 
low trees.” Mr. F. A. Barratt met with it in the Lydenburg district, 
and Mr. Jameson procured specimens on the Umvuli River in 
August and October. Mr. Ayres gives the following note :—“In 
pairs, but not common. ‘They frequent the lower parts of the rocky 
hills, and on being disturbed at once fly on to the nearest tree, and 
when followed, continue from tree to tree. I was surprised at this 
habit, as also at the bird not preferring the more open grassy 
country: for those I saw were always in well wooded parts.” 
According to Mr. Andersson it is widely dispersed over both 
Damara and Great Namaqua Land, and Senor Anchieta has met 
with it at Caconda in the interior of Benguela, and in Angola 
proper. 
As in A. nicholsoni, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th primaries are 
emarginate, but the outer tail-feather is very pale smoky brown or 
slightly rufescent, lighter at the tip and a little more dusky along 
the inner web; the shaft very pale; the penultimate feather smoky 
brown, edged and tipped with whitish, both scarcely perceptible. 
The uniform character of the upper surface will, however, generally 
distinguish the present bird. 
The nest of this species is placed under a tuft of grass, and the 
eggs are very variable. The ground is usually cream colour 
profusely spotted throughout with various shades of brown and 
purple, more thickly at the obtuse end. Axis 2’, diam. 7’”. 
Major Butler gives the following note on its nesting in Natal :— 
“ Found a nest near Newcastle, on the lst of October, under a 
tussock of grass. It was well concealed and composed of dry grass, 
lined with finer material of the same description, cow-hair, horse- 
hair, etc., with a run up to it on one side, so that it was necessary to 
stoop down very low to see into it. Eggs three in number, fresh, 
white, spotted all over with grey. Another nest, precisely similar in 
Te ee eee 
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