THE MEADOW PIPIT. 153 



they alight on the broad leaves and search for the grubs 

 or insects lurking there. Sometimes in winter the little 

 creatures are hard pressed for food indeed. When the 

 ground is covered with a snowy mantle to the depth of 

 many inches and frozen hard, they repair to the manure 

 heaps, and prey upon the small flies, beetles, and worms 

 there found. They go in little parties, sometimes alone, 

 and what is noticed about them as strange is that, con- 

 trary to most if not all birds, they appear in a garb much 

 brighter than the one assumed in the vernal season. In 



o 



the early months of the year the Meadow Pipit appears 

 to become gregarious for a short time. I see it in com- 

 pany with the spring flights of Wagtails following the 

 plough, and have no doubt they continue in companies till 

 they reach the moorlands and separate into pairs for 

 the nesting season. The Meadow Pipit when in a weak 

 and helpless condition endeavours, like many other 

 birds, to hide itself. I have seen a wounded Meadow 

 Pipit bury itself for some considerable distance in a 

 s~now drift and remain motionless, allowing itself to be 

 taken in the hand without the least movement. Such is 

 the protective instinct of the feathered tribes, endless in 

 its forms, and each form adapted most wonderfully to 

 the particular purpose it has to serve. 



We have yet to learn why the Tree Pipit, so closely 

 allied in every respect to its little congener the Meadow 

 Pipit, leaves our shores for the winter, while this seem- 

 ingly frail little creature, and ill adapted one would 

 think for its cold and cheerless sojourn with us, braves 

 all the rigours of the inclement season with apparent 

 comfort. 



Before leaving the Meadow Pipit to its moorland 

 haunts, I would like to say a few words on migration. 

 When the observer scans the long list of birds found in 



