TREE PIPIT. 207 



and are blotched, spotted, or freckled over with 

 darker shades of the same colours. 



The Tree Pipit so closely resembles the pre- 

 ceding bird, as formerly, by many, to be con- 

 founded with it. The variance in the habits first 

 drew attention, and then the differences of form 

 and of the shades of colouring become apparent, 

 It is a more lengthened and more slender 

 formed bird than the last, but is at once easily 

 distinguished by a comparison of the hinder 

 claws, which, in the former, are lengthened, and 

 but slightly curved, being formed for walking ; 

 while in the latter they assume the arboreal 

 structure, and are short and crooked. In its 

 winter state of plumage, where a slight change in 

 the tint may occur, we have not had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining it. In the summer or breed- 

 ing state it may be thus described : 



The whole of the upper plumage deep oil 

 green, of a paler tint on the nape, and having the 

 centres of the feathers on the crown and back 

 umber brown, which becomes distributed in lines ; 

 wings umber brown, quills narrowly edged with 

 grayish white, scapulars margined with grayish 

 white, and the greater and lesser coverts tipped 

 and edged with the same colour ; the latter of 

 a clear tint, and forming a conspicuous bar across 

 the wing ; tail umber brown, outer feather white, 

 except the base of the inner web, second tipped 

 with white ; the under parts pale yellowish white, 

 shaded into buff orange on the breast and flanks, 

 and having each feather marked at the tips with 



