MOTACILLID^ ANTHUS 251 



is, according to Andersson, widely dispersed over both Great 

 Namaqua and Damara Lands and Anchieta met with it both in 

 Benguela and Angola. To the north of the Congo it is replaced 

 by a smaller and darker race that has been named by Eraser, 

 Anthus gouldi ; this extends as far north as Senegambia. 



Habits. This Pipit is found both on the open veldt, where it 

 runs on the ground and perches on stones and ant-hills, and among 

 bushes and trees, when it perches on the latter if disturbed, and 

 flies from tree to tree if followed. Its flight is low and undulating. 

 Its call-note is a weak " chirp." In summer the cock sings prettily 

 from the top of a bush or ant-hill. These Pipits feed almost entirely 

 on insects. They build about the end of September. The nest 

 is cup-shaped, constructed of dry grass lined with finer grass and 

 a few hairs, and is usually concealed in a slight hollow over- 

 hung by grass. The eggs, almost invariably three in number, 

 are dull white or cream-coloured, thickly marked with spots and 

 mottlings of grey, brown and reddish-purple. They measure about 

 0-85 x 0-60. 





145. Anthus rufulus. Lesser Tawny Pipit. 



Anthus rufulus, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi, p. 494 (1818) ; Gray, 

 Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1847) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 574 (1885) ; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896) ; Oates, B. India, ii, p. 308 (1890). 



Anthus caffer, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-AJcad, Forh. Stockli. 1850 p. 100 ; 

 Layard. B. S. Afr. p. 123 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara 

 Land, p. 113 (1872) ; Butler, Feilden and Eeid, Zoologist, 1882, p. 

 335 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 434, 852 (1884). 



Anthus raalteni, Bp. Consp. i, p. 248 (1850) ; Layard 's B. S. Afr. p. 123 

 (1867) ; Gurney in Anderssorts B. Damara Land, p. 113 (1872). 



Description. Adult male in summer. Above, clear brown, the 

 feathers centred with blackish ; the lower back and rump uniform 

 grey-brown ; least wing-coverts with black bases, broad rufous 

 margins and white tips ; rest of coverts blackish edged with rufous ; 

 quills blackish, their outer webs rufous, the primaries edged with 

 white, the inner secondaries more broadly with buff ; outer pair of 

 tail-feathers white with a dusky streak on the inner web; other 

 tail-feathers blackish edged with brown ; crown and nape like the 

 back ; lores dusky ; eyebrow and cheeks buff ; ear-coverts brown ; 

 moustache line black ; throat and centre of abdomen whitish ; rest 

 of under surface bright buff-brown, the upper chest streaked with 

 black; axillaries and under wing-coverts dusky. 



