WATER PIPIT 



ALPINE PIPIT. 



PLATE LXVII. FIGURE III. 



Anthus spipoletta> . . . . NEWTON. 



Alauda spinoletta, LlNNSDUS. 



THE Water Pipit has only occurred a few times in Sussex, 

 and has never been known to nest in this country. 

 The name by which it has been generally known, A. 

 spinoletta, is due to a misprint, spipoletta being the Italian 

 name for any Pipit. 



The nest is built in moss, or other herbage, and under 

 the shelter of some stone or chink in a rock. It is made 

 of blades of grass, sticks, stems, wool, and moss, inter- 

 woven together, and lined with hair and grasses. It is 

 said to have two broods in the year. 



The eggs, which are laid at the end of May, are five 

 or six in number, of a brown, grey, or greenish tint, some 

 with a circlet of spots or hair-streaks at the thicker end. 

 One had a light grey ground, covered all over with olive- 

 brown spots and dark grey dots. In another the ground 

 colour is inclined to reddish, with a few dark grey spots 

 or dots. 



149 



