66 BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 



1866, 1876, or 1878 ; so it certainly cannot be very 

 common during the breeding-season, or I could 

 scarcely have missed seeing it. 



Professor Ansted has not included it in his list, 

 and there is no specimen at present in the Museum. 



55. TREE PIPIT. Anthus trivialis, Linnaeus. 

 French, " Pipit des arbres," " Pipit des buissons." 

 A very numerous summer visitant to all the Islands, 

 breeding in great numbers in the parts suited to it. 

 In the Vale it was very common, many of the furze- 

 bushes on L'Ancresse Common containing nests. 

 The old male might constantly be seen flying up 

 from the highest twigs of the furze-bush, singing 

 its short song as it hovered over the bush, and 

 returning again to the top branch of that or some 

 neighbouring bush. This continued till about the 

 middle of July, when the young were mostly hatched, 

 and many of them flown and following their 

 parents about clamorous for food, which was 

 plentiful in the Vale in the shape of numerous 

 small beetles, caterpillars, and very small snails. 

 The young were mostly hatched by the beginning 

 of July, but I found one nest with young still in it 

 in a furze-bush about ten yards from high water- 

 mark as late as the 27th of July, but the young 

 were all flown when I visited the nest two days 

 afterwards. The Tree Pipits have all departed by 

 the middle of October, and I have never seen any 

 there in November. 



