32 ROCK PIPIT. 



Habits. Much resembling the last, but not arboreal, con- 

 fining its attentions to low bushes, from which it frequently 

 rises, singing and returning to same or an adjacent one with 

 expanded wings and tail. Food taken on the ground. Flight 

 rather wild and jerky, somewhat like the Wagtail's. 



Note. Practically indistinguishable from the Eock Pipit, 

 but this species never quits its grass-land haunts. 



Food. Insects and their larvae, spiders, worms, small 

 beetles, and small seeds. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods. 



Site. On the the ground, in some cavity concealed by grow- 

 ing herbage. 



Materials. Dry grass, bents, and moss, lined with fine bents, 

 fibres, and 'hair. 



Eggs. Four to six. Greyish white mottled with olive- 

 brown ; usually a hair-like streak at the large end. Like Eock 

 Pipit's, but smaller. 



EOCK PIPIT (Anthus obscurus). 



Eesident ; found nearly all round our coast-lines, except on 

 the east ; common in Channel Islands and in northern islands 

 of Scotland. 



Haunts. Eocky sea-coasts ; the only songster inhabiting the 

 seashore. 



Plumage. Upper parts olive-brown, each feather having a 

 dark centre ; a whitish eye-stripe ; a smoky grey patch on 

 inner web of outer tail-feathers ; under parts buffish white, 

 spotted and streaked with dark brown. Bill dark brown 

 above ; paler below. Legs brown. Length 6J in. Female 

 similar. Young more streaked and spotted. 



Language. Song much like Meadow Pipit's, and delivered on 

 the wing as a rule, with a rock instead of a low bush as a base. 

 Call-note, " 1st," persistently repeated if disturbed. 



Habits. Note. Almost indistinguishable from Meadow 

 Pipit, but this species never quits the seashore ; much like 

 the other Pipits. When alarmed it does not fly far, but shifts 

 uneasily about from rock to rock uttering its call-note. 



Food. Marine insects and their larvae, small inollusca and 

 Crustacea ; also seeds. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods. 



Site. Among or under rocks, &c. ; in clump of sea-pink, or 

 in tuft of grass. 



Materials. Bits of seaweed, grass and moss, lined with fine 

 grass and hair. 



Eggs. Four to five. Greenish white; densely mottled, 

 especially at the large end, with dark brown ; like Meadow 

 Pipit's, but with no hair-like streak. 



