BROWN BIRDS WITH SPOTTED BREASTS 81 



blotched with rich umber-brown ; *82 * *6 inch (plate 

 125). 



Nest. Of dry grass, root-fibres, and moss, lined 

 with finer grass and hair, and placed on the ground 

 under cover of a tuft. 



Distribution. In England and Wales generally, 

 except west Cornwall ; in Scotland common in south- 

 west, but increasingly rare towards the north ; not in 

 Ireland. 



The Tree-Pipit in many particulars closely resembles 

 the commoner Meadow- Pipit In build and aspect 

 one might pass for the other upon a cursory view, 

 unless the rather brighter colour or the flatter crown 

 of the Tree- Pipit caught the eye. In its jerky, un- 

 dulatory flight, its nimble, walking gait, and the 

 up-and-down oscillation of its tail while standing, the 

 Tree-Pipit fully resembles the Meadow-Pipit Their 

 names rightly indicate their differences : the Tree- 

 Pipit is a bird of the woodside, perching habitually 

 on some favourite tree facing the open, and thence 

 delivering his strong, sweet song. The usual perch- 

 ing song is ' Tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tree-tree- 

 tree-tree-tree-tree ! ' the ' tree ' note being higher in 

 pitch and much more drawn out than the opening 

 notes. At times the metallic ' tree ! ' becomes a 

 clear, incisive ' wheet ! ' at others, often during 

 the flight -song, the 'tiu-tree' strain is followed 

 by a mechanical rattle such as the Common 

 Wren uses, the song concluding with a long, thin, 

 metallic note like the complaining note of the Red- 

 breast during the breeding season. The song-flight 

 is exactly the same as that performed by the Meadow- 



