NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



marked with dark streaks in the centres 

 of the feathers ; has a dull white throat 

 and under parts, the latter streaked and 

 clouded with dark brown. The bird 

 harmonises well with the dull brown 

 rocks upon which it so often sits, and I 

 have often experienced considerable diffi- 

 culty in detecting it when it kept quite 

 still whilst uttering its call notes. 



This species may always be distin- 

 guished with absolute certainty from the 

 Tree and Meadow Pipits when it is on 

 the wing by reason of the fact that it 

 shows no white on either side of its tail. 



The Rock Pipit breeds nearly all round 

 our coasts excepting between the Humber 

 and the Thames, and loves small islands, 

 such as those behind which the sun is 

 setting in the tailpiece to this article. 



Its song is very similar to that of the 

 Meadow Pipit, and consists of a few 

 short simple tinkling notes delivered with 

 great cheerfulness, both upon the wing 

 and whilst the bird is seated on some 

 favourite rock. The call notes are also 

 much like those of the Meadow Pipit. 



Its nest is situated under old matted 



tufts of grass, overhanging pieces of 



rock, and in crevices, and is made of small 



pieces of dry seaweed, dead grass of 



160 



