46 THE SMALLER liRITISH BIRDS. 



bait of mealworms, and also poppy and crushed hemp seeds. With 

 Bechstein this is a favourite bird. It usually sits still upon its perch, 

 but moves its tail backwards and forwards almost as fast as a Strand 

 Snipe. Its short intermitted song resembles that of the Siskin or 

 Swallow, with occasionally a shrill harsh note introduced like the 

 sharpening of a scythe: its call or alarm note is hish, hish. It is a 

 very cleanly bird, fond of bathing as are all the Larks and Pipits. 

 They also require fine clean sand to dust themselves with. 



In reference to this as a cage bird, Mr. Blythe thus wrote to Charles 

 Waterton, Esq., in 1835 : " My Eock Pipit is stUl doing well, and has 

 already become tame, or rather, fearless; but most birds very sooii 

 lose their wildness, when placed in a cage containing several tame 

 companions. It seems likely to live at least as long as I shall want 

 it; when I have become a little more acquainted with its cage man- 

 ners, I will send you some account of the habits of my amusing little 

 prisoner/' Whether this account was ever sent, we cannot tell; we 

 have looked in vain through the published writings of Waterton 

 for it. 



Pe-peet ! pe-peet ! list to that peevish cry, 



For such it seems, and yet no fretful bird 

 The utterer. See, he hath a bold, bright eye, 



And quivering wings that are with rapture stirred. 

 Not ' mid the rocks, and by the sounding sea, 



His plaintive cry he giveth to the wind, 

 But, well content, he asks not liberty, 



While he gets shelter, food, and treatment kind. 



H. O. A. 



