ANTHUS CAMPESTRIS 159 



ANTHUS CAMPESTRIS (Linn«us). 

 TAWNY PIPIT. 



Alauda campestris, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 288 (176(5). 



Anthus campestris, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. iii, p. 722 (1807) ; 



Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Miis. x, p. 569 ; Wkitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 96 ; 



Elianger, J.f. 0. 1899, p. 318. 

 Anthus rufescens, Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 11 (1816). 

 Agrodoma campestris, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 13 (18G7) ; 



Kocnig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 216 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 30. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Kanghafc-Sloughi, Central 

 Tunisia. 



Above light sandy-brown or tawny-grey, most of the feathers with 

 darker centres, particularly on the crown ; a pale buff superciliary stripe 

 extending from the base of the bill to behind the eye ; wings brown, the 

 secondaries and coverts broadly margined with buff; the outer pair of 

 rectrices dull white on the outer web and on the terminal half of the inner 

 web, the remaining portion dark brown, the adjoining pair dull white on 

 the outer web and at the tip ; the remaining tail-feathers dark brown, the 

 two central ones fringed with buff ; lores and ear-coverts greyish-brown ; 

 underparts baffy-white, paler on the chin and throat, and darker on the 

 breast and flanks ; faint indication of a moustachial stripe and a few spots 

 on the sides of neck and breast light brown. 



Iris very dark brown ; bill light brown ; feet yellowish-flesh-colour. 



Total length 7 inches, wing 3-75, culmen -65, tarsus 1. 



Adult female resembles the male in plumage, but is rather smaller. 



Observaticns. — Some specimens have a decided tinge of yellow on the 

 underparts, at times considerably developed. 



The Tawny Pipit is abundant in Tunisia during the periods of 

 migration, and also nests in the Kegency. I have no note of its 

 occurrence in that country, or, indeed, in any part of North-west Africa 

 during the winter, but it is not unlikely that a few individuals may 

 pass the colder months in some of the semi-desert districts imme- 

 diately south of the Atlas Mountains. 



The species appears to be common in spring in Algeria, Marocco 

 and Tripoli, and probably breeds in all three countries. 



During the months of March and April I have found the Tawny 

 Pipit plentiful on the borders of the oases, and on the stony plains 



