MEADOW PIPIT. ROCK PIPIT. 95 



when disturbed, rises gently in the air, and times the beat of 

 its wings to its harmonious though monotonous call-note. 

 After attaining a considerable altitude, it alights on the heath 

 or sandhill, and having rested awhile, again commences its 

 renewed ascent. 



The titlark is a more elegantly-shaped bird than either of 

 the larks we have described, and, although seldom caged, 

 bears confinement equally well. Subject to great variations 

 in the colour of the eggs, we seldom observe two similar in ap- 

 pearance, all differing in various shades, from dark cream to 

 a rich purplish red colour. 



Another allied species, the tree pipit (Anthus arbor eus), 

 is believed to have been observed in Ireland ; but as a speci- 

 men has not been obtained, its occurrence is doubtful. 



Indigenous. 



SPECIES 93 THE ROCK PIPIT. 



Anthus aquations. Bechstein. 

 Pipit spioncelle. Temm. 



Rocklark. 



THE ROCK PIPIT, larger in size, and of nearly similar habits, 

 as the preceding species, seldom occurs inland, or at a dis- 

 tance from the vicinity of the shore. 



Found in considerable numbers on the northern side of the 

 Dublin coast, the rock pipit attracts our attention in a simi- 

 lar manner to the last species, when flying off and uttering 

 its call -note. 



We were on one occasion considerably amused by the ma- 

 noeuvres of two of these birds, on the rocky shore near Port- 

 rane. Having a dog with us, which had possibly intruded 

 on their domain, the male and female instantly commenced 

 an angry attack on the animal. Hovering over it, and vocife- 

 rously uttering their call-notes, they succeeded in completely 

 puzzling him : the dog continued so abstracted, looking from 

 one to the other, that it could pay no attention to our whist- 

 ling, but sat with its eyes riveted upon the excited pipits. 



Amongst the breeding places of this bird we may mention 

 rocky islets, to which it often sallies out nearly a distance of 

 ten miles from the main land, as at the Rock a Bill, on the 

 Dublin coast, where we observed two nests of this bird, both 

 occupied with young, when visiting the place to obtain spe- 

 cimens of the sternidce (terns). 



Indigenous. 



