Birds by Land and Sea 



nests, and his summer days are spent. The tree- 

 pipit is essentially a bird of the trees, and as the 

 meadow-pipit rises from the ground to sing, so the 

 tree-pipit ascends from his favourite perching tree in 

 all but perpendicular flight ; but, whilst the meadow- 

 pipit usually sings in rising, the tree-pipit as a rule 

 mounts silently. Having reached a height of some 

 fifty feet or so, it opens its song, and with wings and 

 tail set stiffly back, glides slowly down through a 

 long curve or spiralwise, continuing to sing until 

 it reaches its former perching-place in the tree. 

 Arrived there, it is not silent, bird answering bird 

 with a song which is at once very beautiful, varied, 

 and delivered with the vigour of a chaffinch. The 

 usual song given from the perch may be written 

 " Tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tree-tree-tree-tree-tree-tree / " the 

 cc tree " being more highly pitched than the " tiu," 

 and having a highly metallic ring. Sometimes the 

 " tree " is replaced by an incisive " Wheet-wheet- 

 wheet ! " and at others a mechanical rattle, similar 

 to that used by the common wren, follows the 

 " tree " note, to be succeeded in its turn by a thin, 

 long-drawn, acute note that may be written as 

 " Whee-e-e-e-e-e-ew I " These four elements of the 

 tree-pipit's song are used to make a highly diversified 

 strain, leaving the plainer performance of his fellow 

 pipit of the meadows far behind. Still, like the latter, 

 the tree-pipit is but a plain brown bird with speckled 

 breast ; but such are many of the royal line of song. 

 The mallard, or wild duck, breeds so generally 



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