MEADOW PIPIT. 453 



may also be found in meadows and marsh land, frequent- 

 ing more exposed situations during summer, and seeking 

 the shelter of valleys and plains in winter. When progress- 

 ing from place to place, the flight of this bird is performed 

 by short unequal jerks ; but when in attendance on its 

 mate and undisturbed, it rises with an equal vibratory 

 motion, and sings some musical soft notes on the wing, 

 sometimes while hovering over its nest, and returns to the 

 ground after singing. Occasionally it may be seen to 

 settle on a low bush ; but is rarely observed sitting on a 

 branch of a tree, or perched on a rail, which is the com- 

 mon habit of the Tree Pipit. The Meadow Pipit, when 

 standing on a slight mound of earth, a clot, or a stone, 

 frequently moves his tail up and down like a Wagtail ; and 

 Mr. Neville Wood mentions that he has heard him sing 

 while thus situated on or very near the earth. 



The Meadow Pipit seeks its food on the ground, along 

 which it runs nimbly in pursuit of insects, worms, and 

 small slugs. In the stomach of one of these birds, ex- 

 amined in the month of December, Mr. Thompson of Bel- 

 fast found two specimens of Bulimus lubricus. According 

 to this gentleman, the name of the Meadow Pipit in the 

 north of Ireland is Moss-cheeper, the name having reference 

 to the moss and peat covering the ground mostly in- 

 habited by the bird, and also to its call-note. In the 

 county of Kerry, Mr. Thompson adds, this bird is called 

 Wekeen, in reference probably to the small size of the 

 bird.* Sir Robert Sibbald, in his Scotia Illustrata, pub- 

 lished in 1684, and considered to be the first Fauna of 

 Scotland, gives Moss-cheeper and Titling as the names of 

 the Meadow Pipit in that country. 



The nest of this bird is built on the ground, among 



* In Irish, een, ending a word, is a diminutive ; thus, doudeen, is a little 

 pipe ; mavouraeen, my little dear. 



