68 BRITISH BIRDS, THEIR EGGS AND NESTS. 
8L. RAYS WAGTAIL.—(Wotacilla flava). 
Yellow Wagtail, Cow-bird—aA summer visitor, and, of course, 
making its nest with us. It builds on the ground, in cornfields 
or fallows; sometimes on a stump of a tree level with the 
~ ground, or on a bank of earth overhanging water, or ina hole in a 
wall in the same vicinity. The said nest is made of moss, roots, 
dry grass, and lined with the same, only finer, and a little hair. 
Four to six eggs are laid, which Mr. Yarrell says, “are not un 
like those of the Sedge-Warbler, only rather larger; whitish in 
colour, mottled nearly all over with yellow-brown and ash- 
brown.” 
VITI.—ANTHID A. 
82. TREE PIPIT.—(Axthus arboreus). 
Pipit Lark, Field Titling, Field Lark, Tree Lark, Grasshopper 
Lark.—No long time elapses after the spring arrival of the Tree 
Pipit before he makes his presence observable by indulging in 
his peculiar mode of recommending his song, not unpleasant in 
itself, to our notice. Seated on the topmost twig of a tree or 
high bush he sings awhile, and then up he goes with fluttering 
Wing, singing all the while, and also while descending from his 
greatest height on outstretched wing to the twig he started 
from. The nest is always on the ground, and not far froma 
hedge, or under a low bush, and is found also in woods or 
nurseries not far from the edge of a drive or glade, It is made 
of moss and fibres and grass, lined with finer grass and a little 
nair. The eggs vary inconceivably in tint and marks, and 
atirely baffle description, Some are purple-red, others yellowish- 
rhite in ground, clouded and spotted almost all over with different 
hades of greyish brown.—/7g. 22, 23, plate ITI, 
