ANTHUS ARBOREUS. 353 



grass ; the other had some long horse hairs in it. On the 7th 

 I got one with two fresh eggs, and on the 17th one with four 

 deep-sitten eggs, which tells very fairly when they are to be 

 found ; but I have got them on our own Links earlier with five 

 eggs. Its usual flight is short and abrupt ; its usual cry — 

 simply weet, weet ; but in the love season it rises in the air by a 

 tremulous and rapid flutter of the wings till about twenty yards 

 up, then begins its short, pleasant song, and descends to the 

 ground or a bush with motionless wings and extended tail, in a 

 slanting direction, peculiar to itself, from April till the end of 

 July. Its general colour is dark brown ; under parts, yellowish 

 white ; neck, sides, and breast marked with dark brown oblong 

 spots. It is easily known from the last by its size, lighter 

 colour, and longer hind claw. At one time it had a twofold 

 individuality owing to its summer dress being brighter than its 

 winter one. In summer it was called the pipit-lark ; in winter, 

 the tit-lark. It is 5J inches long by 9 \ in extent of wings. 



The Tree Pipit. 



(Antltus Arboreus.) Beclist. (Alauda Tricialis.) Linn. 



" She had cause for fear, 

 As when a bird returning to her nest 

 Turns to a tree beside, if she behold 

 Some prying boy too near the dear retreat. "—Southcy. 



This bird closely resembles the last, but is larger, being 7J 

 by 1 1 J inches. Its bill is stronger, and its hind claw more curved 

 and much shorter to help it perching. Being so alike in colour 

 and less common it often passes for it. It is not native, like 

 the two last, but arrives. here on the first of May and leaves in 

 September. It frequents the borders of woods, and is never 

 seen on moors or links like the meadow pipit. Like nearly all 

 our migrants, the males come a week before the females, and as 

 soon as they meet the male begins to flutter his wings and sing 

 his little courting song ; for, as Shakespeare makes Rosalind 

 say to Orlando, in " As You Like it" — " Your brother and my 

 sister no sooner met, but they looked ; no sooner looked, but 

 they loved ; no sooner loved, but they sighed ; no sooner 

 sighed, but they asked one another the reason ; no sooner 



