22 ’ BRITISH BIRDS 
_£9gs. Usually 5-6. Whitish, mottled often very thickly, 
with pale brown. Av. size, ‘75x°55 in. Laying usually begins 
May. One brood, if not two. 
34. Tree-pipit [Anthus trivialis (Linneeus)]. 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 
bs the claw of the hind toe longer than the 
S, toe, and the four outer primaries of equal 
length. Sexes almost alike. The upper- 
Fig. 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. 
Higgs. 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 (Linngeus)}. 
Resident throughout the British Isles. 
Bird. See tree-pipit. Length 53 in. Sexes alike. — 
duller. After the autumn moult the plumage is tinged wit 
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, ‘76x ‘55in. Smaller than tree-pipits. Laying begins 
April-May. Broods 1-2. 
36. Rock-pipit [Anthus spinoletia obscwrus (Latham)]. 
Resident on our rocky coasts. 
Bird. Length 6°25 in. Distinguished from other pipits— 
