AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 161 



aerial excursions, as above described, often sings 

 from his perch, and though his actual strain of melody 

 is not very prolonged, it is as often repeated as that 

 of any singing bird with which I am acquainted. 

 This species may be met with in small, probably 

 family, parties about the end of August and leaves us 

 early in September. The nest of this bird is often 

 used by the Cuckoo, but we have only met with two 

 such cases in Northamptonshire. 



69. MEADOW-PIPIT. 



Anthus pratensis. 



This species, commonly known as Titlark in those 

 parts of England in which it breeds, is, in our neigh- 

 bourhood, an autumnal visitor, and not very abundant 

 at any time, no doubt from the lack of the open 

 wastes and commons in which it chiefly delights. I 

 cannot positively say that it does not breed with us, 

 but I certainly never found a nest in my boyish birds'- 

 nesting rambles in our district, nor do I recollect to 

 have met with the bird in the summer months. About 

 the middle of September the Meadow-Pipit appears 

 in numbers in our pastures and meadows, and some 

 may generally be found throughout the winter by the 

 side of the river or its tributary brooks ; the greatest 

 numbers I have met with have always been in these 

 localities in the month of March, but their stay is 

 then very short. Although with us, and in other 

 parts of England, this bird is migratory, in many 

 places it remains the whole year, only shifting its 

 quarters, according to weather and " questions of 

 supply," from one spot to another. In many of the 

 upland moor-districts of our Islands the Meadow-Pipit 



M 



