22 BRITISH BIRDS 



Eggs. Usually 5-6. Whitish, mottled often very thickly, 

 with pale brown. Av. size, '75 x *55 in. Laying usually begins 

 May. One brood, if not two. 



34. Tree- pipit [Anthus trivialis (Linnaeus)]. Summer visitor 

 and bird of passage. Rare N. Scotland. Absent Ireland. 



Bird. Length 6 in. Resembles the meadow-pipit, with 

 which it is often confused. It may be 

 distinguished from it by its larger size, 

 by having the claw of the hind toe not 

 so long as the toe itself, and the three 

 outer primaries about equal and longer 

 than the fourth. The meadow-pipit has 

 the claw of the hind toe longer than the 

 toe, and the four outer primaries of equal 

 length. Sexes almost alike. The upper- 

 g 20 parts brownish, with darker striations, 



except on the rump. Belly white, rest of 

 under-parts buff with black striations. "White on the two 

 outer tail-feathers on each side. Wings chiefly brown and 

 blackish. After the autumn moult both sexes have the whole 

 body tinged with rich buff. 



Nest. Place : in woodland on the ground, or in a bank in a 

 tuft of grass or hollow. Material : dry grass, stems, moss, 

 lined chiefly with finer grass. 



Eggs. Usually 4-6. Eggs vary greatly in coloration, but 

 those in a nest are of the same type. Ground-colour 

 may be bluish, greenish, pinkish, brownish, or grey, thickly 

 spotted, or blotched and streaked with shades of brown. 

 Av. size, *79 x '59 in. Laying begins May. One brood, pos- 

 sibly two. 



35. Meadow-pipit, tit-lark [Anthus pratensis (Linnreus)]. 

 Resident throughout the British Isles. 



Bird. See tree-pipit. Length 5| in. Sexes alike. Young 

 duller. After the autumn moult the plumage is tinged with 

 buff. 



Nest. On pasture-land, marsh, and moorland ; on the ground, 

 or a bank, in the shelter of a tussock, heather, &c. Material : 

 as tree-pipit. 



Eggs. Usually 4-6. Greyish-white thickly marked with 

 brown, so as sometimes to hide the ground colour. Often a 

 black hair streak. Variations with pink and bluish grounds. 

 Av. size, '76 x "55 in. Smaller than tree-pipits. Laying begins 

 April-May. Broods 1-2. 



36. Rock-pipit [Anthus spinoletta obscurus (Latham)]. 

 Resident on our rocky coasts. 



Bird. Length 6*25 in. Distinguished from other pipits 



