BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 287 



7 



PIPIT, TREE. 



(An thus trivialis.) 

 Order PASSERES ; Family MOTACILLID.E (WAGTAILS). 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about six and a half inches. 

 Bill of medium length, nearly 

 straight, slender, and dirk brown, 

 lighter on the edges and at the base. 

 Iridss hazel. Crown, nape, and 

 back dirk brown, the feathers 

 being bordered with lighter brown ; 

 wings dirkish-brown; lesser coverts 

 edged and tipped with greyish- white ; 

 greater coverts edged with pale brown ; these two 

 lighter colours form distinct bars across the wings. 

 Rump, upper tail-coverts, and quills brown, the two 

 outer ones on each side nearly all dirty white ; chin 

 and throat pale brownish-white. A brown streak 

 runs from the gape, slightly backward, and for 

 some distance downwards. Sides of neck and breast 

 pale buff, with streaks of brown on the former and 

 round spots on the latter ; belly, vent, and under 

 tail-coverts dirty white. Legs, toes, and claws 

 pale yellowish-brown. 



The female is a little smaller in size, and the 

 spots on her breast are not so large. 



This species is larger than the Meadow Pipit, 

 has a stronger beak, fewer and larger spots on the 

 breast, and the claw on the hind toe is shorter. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground, con- 

 cealed by a tuft of grass, in hedgerow banks, on 

 the sloping banks of streams, hidden by a low weed- 

 tangled bush. The bird seems fond of the same 



