THE MEADOW-PIPIT. 181 



marked in A. trivialis. Some rufous specimens of A. praten.<:is 

 much resemble some first -winter males and winter females of 

 A. cervinus, for distinctions see p. 183 and Plate 6. 



Field -CHARACTERS. — Closely resembles Tree-Pipit but rather 

 smaller, legs brown, not flesh-coloured, and upper-parts olivaceous. 

 Pure white outer tail-feathers conspicuous in flight. Inhabits 

 wild moorlands, rough commons, and water-meadows. Rarely 

 seen to perch on trees except on migration. Tinkling song, uttered 

 in air, lacks the "see-ar, see-ar " of Tree-Pipit as bird descends. 

 Call-note " ist." Alarm-note a plaintive " peep." 



Breeding-habits. — Nests in depression of ground, sometimes 

 completely sheltered from above, in tussock of grass, clump of 

 rushes, or in heather, and haunts marshlands, rough pastures 

 and moors. Nest. — Built of dry grasses and bents, lined finer 

 material and some horsehair. J^ggs. — Usually 4 to 6, sometimes 

 7 in northern localities ; variable, but less so than Tree-Pipit's, 

 reddish types being verj^ rare or absent. Ordinary types brown 

 or grey in general appearance, finel}^ mottled or more boldly 

 marbled with varying shades of brown and ashy-grey ; others are 

 almost uniform ochreous or pale leaden grey, with dark hair- 

 streak, and some are sparsely marked on a pale blue ground. 

 Average of 143 eggs, 19.3 x 14.19 mm. Breeding-season. — From 

 latter part of April onward in England, but later in the north. 

 At least two broods usually reared, and eggs may be found late 

 in July. Incubation. — Lasts 13-14 da^s, probably by hen only. 



Food. — Insects (coleoptera and larvae, small orthoptera, diptera, 

 and larvae, hemiptera, hj-menoptera, and larvae of lepidoptera). 

 Also earthworms (Saxbj^), spiders, and occasionally seeds. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, Abundant throughout 

 in open country, but majority leave higher and more northern 

 situations in autumn and many emigrate. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — Summer-residents from Hebrides and 

 Highlands move south, chiefly down west coast, from about mid- 

 Aug. to late Oct., and there is evidence of autumn-immigration 

 in Ireland corresponding partly Avith this movement. Many, if 

 not majority of, English breeding-birds pass south and west in 

 autumn. Emigratory movements along south coast England 

 .from late Sept. to late Nov., and corresponding immigratory move- 

 ments in south-east Ireland have been noticed. From early Sept. 

 to late Oct. large numbers of immigrants, many of which winter 

 with us, while some pass on, arrive in northern Scottish isles, and 

 between mid-Sept, and Nov. on east coast from Forfar to Kent. 

 Return passage from end Feb. to mid- April on south coast Ireland, 

 and from mid- March to mid- April on whole south coast England. 

 Considerable evidence that more northerly breeding-birds pass 



