306 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



Ducks, but all at long distances. There were quite five 

 hundred Gulls of the two species already named and 

 about 150 Ducks. 



Piottuch told us he saw two Jackdaws at the church 

 to-day. 



May 17. 



On Monday, the 17th of May, the new arrivals were 

 the Book, Eed-throated Pipits, Golden Plovers, Yellow 

 Wagtail, Fieldfares, Chaffinches, and Eedwings. 



We went out behind the town and waded in mud and 

 manure and snow along the face of the hills. Seebohm 

 shot three Shore Larks, two $ and one ? . 



Shortly afterwards a number of Ked- throated Pipits * 

 flew over my head, the fawn colour showing distinctly in 

 the bright sun, and one alighting on a heap of manure, I 

 shot it. During the rest of the time we were out we saw 

 great numbers, in flocks or pairs, or singly, flying almost 

 invariably against the south-east wind. Occasionally they 

 perched on the ground or on heaps of manure, but were 

 shy and difficult to approach, and we did not get another 

 example. They far outnumbered the Meadow Pipit, of 

 which we shot two examples, and were much the wilder 

 species. They rose quite a hundred yards off, darting 

 upwards after the common practice of Pipits, and gene- 

 rally flying straight away ; whereas the common Meadow 

 Pipit sneaked about amongst the manure heaps, and 

 seemed much more desirous of concealment. The speci- 

 men of the Eed-throated Pipit I shot was in the act of 



:;: Anthus references : 



In the ' Ibis,' 1874. A. cervinus. Lord Walden, description, p. 141. 

 Also Brooks, p. 460, doubts the identification. 



In the 'Ibis,' 1871. A. cervinus. Hume, Verreaux, distinction 

 between A. rosaceus and A. cervinus doubted, p. 35. Tristram, 

 p. 233, separates the Eastern and Western forms of A. cervinus and 

 A. rosaceus. 



