PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 229 



4. Nest and Eggs. In nest, eggs, and breeding habits this bird is indis- 

 tinguishable from our British race (see Yellow- wagtail). (PI. B. and rx.) The 

 average size of 100 eggs is '73 x -55 in. [18'75 x 13*9 mm.]. [F. c. B. J.] 



5. Food. Similar to that of the yellow-wagtail. [A. L. T.] 



6. Song Period. Is not continued long after the breeding season 

 (Naumann). [F. B. K.] 



TREE-PIPIT [Anihus trivialis (Linnaeus). Tit-, bank-, field-, tree-, or 

 blood-lark. French, pipi des arbres ; German, Baumpieper ; Italian, 

 prispolone], 



i. Description. Resembles the meadow-pipit, but may be distinguished 

 therefrom, and from all the other British pipits, by the curved claw of the hind 

 toe, which is not so long as the toe itself : furthermore, the three outermost 

 primaries are nearly equal, the fourth wristwards is much shorter. (PL 28.) 

 The upper parts are of a clear wood-brown, shading into olive-brown on the rump, 

 and relieved by dull black striations, sharply defined in the crown, broadly in the 

 interscapulars, and absent in the rump. The median coverts are tipped with 

 white ; the greater coverts and long inner secondaries have pale greyish brown 

 margins. The outermost tail feather has the inner web mostly white, the pen- 

 . ultimate has only a small triangular patch of white on the tip of the inner vane. 

 The under parts are of a sandy buff, fading to pure white on the abdomen. The 

 fore-neck, pectoral region, and flanks are striated with black, heavily on the pectoral 

 region, and these striations are continued forwards along each side of the throat 

 to the base of the jaw, forming a moustachial streak. Length 6 in. [152 mm.]. The 

 sexes are indistinguishable ; though, according to some authorities, the female is 

 rather duller and has narrower striations. The plumage after the autumn moult 

 is brighter than the spring livery which is assumed by a moult a richer buff 

 suffusing the whole body. The fledgling differs from the adult only in that the 

 crown of the head has a spotted, rather than striated, appearance, while the 

 ground colour is darker, and the striations are conspicuously duller, browner, in 

 hue : the rest of the upper parts yellower. The throat is white or only faintly 

 tinged yellow, while the ground colour of the pectoral region is much paler (buffish 

 white), and the striations heavier, duller, and less sharply defined. The minor 

 and median coverts are broadly tipped with buff instead of white ; and the long 

 inner secondaries have the paler margins narrower. The white patch on the inner 



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