150 



Eggs. Generally 5 or 6, while on one occasion Pearson found a nest with 



7 eggs. They vary in the most extraordinary manner, even in the same 

 nest; so that in a large series some eggs will be fomid to resemble those 

 . of the Lapland Bunting, while others recall those of the Meadow Pipit, 

 Blue headed Wagtail, Tree Pipit and even Tree Sparrow! Some show a 

 pale bluish green ground with numerous fine spots; others are finely stippled 

 all over with pale ochreous and have a dark hair line at the big end, while 

 a third type has bold blotches and streaks of sepia, and a very characteristic 

 variety is clouded with rich maroon or mahagony colour, sometimes entirely 

 obscuring the ground, and varying in depth from the palest shade to almost 

 blackish red or dark olive. The rich red type seems to be characteristic, but 

 careful authentication is always necessary. Collett remarks that spiral 

 lines, though not invariably present, are frequently met with. 



Breeding On the Kongama Davies took the first clutch on June 17, and in 



eason. p^j^mark the breeding season appears to begin about June 20, but fresh 

 eggs (perhaps second layings) may be obtained till the beginning of July. 

 On the lower Petschora the time is rather earlier, as out of 39 eggs obtained 

 by Seebohm and Harvie Brown on June 22, many were much incubated. 

 Most clutches taken by Pearson in the first fortnight of July on Kolguev 

 and Waigatz were hard sat, and young were seen on the wing on Dolgoi 

 on July 20, so that the breeding season varies but little. 



Measure- Average of 100 eggs (33 by Rey and 67 by the writer), 19.23 X 14.24 



°'^°*'- mm., Max. 21 X 14.3 and 18.1 X 15.1 mm., Min. 17.1 X 13.9 and 18 X 13.4 

 mm. They are slightly smaller than eggs of the Lapland Bunting, but do 

 not differ appreciably from those of the Meadow Pijnt in size. They are 

 however decidedly lighter than Lapland Buntings' eggs. Average weight 

 according to Rey, 127 mg., but 20 eggs taken by Ottosson only average 

 114 mg. 



77. Rock or Alpine Pii)it, Antliiis spinoletta (L.). 

 Geographical Races. 



a. Alpine Pipit, A. spinoletta spinoletta (L.). 

 Plate 17, fig. 13—16 (Switzerland). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXV, fig. 9, 10, a — c. Baedeker, 

 Tab. 35, fig. 3. Taczanowski, Tab. LIX, fig. 1. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Linduska vodni. France: Pipi spioncelle. 

 Germany: Wasserpieper. Hungary: Havasi pipis. Italy: Spioncello. Poland: 

 Siviergotek nadivodny. Spain: Espioncela. 



Anthus spipoletta (L.). Newton, ed. YarreU, I, p. 581; Dresser, Birds 

 of Europe, III, p. 335; id. Man. Pal. Birds, p. 214; Saunders, Man., p. 141. 

 A. sinnoletta spinoletta (L.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 279. 



