AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 159 



on the ground, of dried grass-stalks and fine roots 

 with a lining of hair, and is generally placed in a tuft 

 of grass, or in a slight depression well concealed by 

 summer plants. The eggs are generally five, some- 

 times six, in number, and much resemble those of 

 the last species except in the particulars already 

 mentioned. About the middle of September we 

 generally notice small parties of these birds in our 

 meadows and pastures, evidently bound on their 

 southward migration; they are exceedingly local 

 birds, and their appearance may safely be reckoned 

 upon, year after year, in the same localities at the 

 same date. The Yellow Wagtail has more of a song 

 and altogether more musical notes than either the 

 Pied or Grey species. Yarrell states that this bird is 

 generally rare in Ireland, but we found it breeding on 

 the shores of Lough Corrib, co. Galway, in the summer 

 of 1854. 



68. TREE-PIPIT. 



Anthus arboreus. 



This bird, which is, I think, generally known in 

 Northamptonshire as "Titlark," is a common spring 

 visitor to our district, though not perhaps so 

 abundant there as in many parts of England. It 

 arrives with us generally in the second or third week 

 of April, and the male bird soon makes his presence 

 known by his loud song, which has some resemblance 

 to both that of the Canary and the Sky-Lark ; he also 

 attracts attention by his common habit of soaring 

 from a tree to a moderate height, and descending 

 slowly, singing his best, with tail outspread and legs 

 hanging, to the perch from which he started, or 



