217 



this species occurs, which has the breast dull vinous in tinge,, 

 which may almost be considered as a sub-speeies, and this form 

 A. rupestris (Nilss. Orn. Suec., i. p. 245) has occurred on 

 passage in Great Britain, and been mistaken for A. spipoletta^ 

 from which it can readily be distinguished, in having the band 

 on the outer tail-feathers smoke-grey and not white. 



322. PETCHORA PIPIT. 



ANTHUS GUSTAVI. 



AntJtus gustavi, Swinhoe, P.Z.S. 1863, p. 90 ; Sharpe, Cat, B. Br. Mus. 

 x. p. 613 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 398; A. seeboJimi, Dresser, iii. 

 p. 295, pi. 134. 



< ad. (Petcliora). Upper parts warm buffy brown richly streaked 

 with black and white ; under parts as in A . trivialis ; the pale portion of 

 the rectrices smoke-buff, not white ; wings as in A. trivialisbut the ground 

 colour much blacker ; bill horn-brown lighter at the base of the lower 

 mandible ; legs pale brown ; iris dark brown. Culmen 0'6, wing 33, tail 

 2*25, tarsus 0'95, hind toe with claw 0*85, hind claw 0'44 inch. Sexes- 

 alike. In winter plumage the upper parts are more olivaceous, the 

 white stripes are more distinct and the under parts are washed with buff. 

 The young bird has the plumage softer, the breast is more thickly spotted,, 

 the black spots extending up the greater part of the throat leaving the 

 chin white. 



Hob. The Petchora river in north-east Russia, eastward across 

 Siberia to Kamchatka and the Commander Islands, passing 

 through China, and wintering in the Philippines, Moluccas, 

 Borneo, Timor, and Celebes. 



In habits it resembles the Meadow-Pipit, but frequents marshy 

 localities, and often perches on the branches of trees. Its song 

 consists of a Lark-like trilla, and a low guttural warble, and is 

 uttered when the bird is high in the air like a Lark. It feeds 

 almost entirely on insects. It breeds in June and July, the 

 nest, which is placed on the ground and well concealed, being 

 constructed of flat-leaved grass, water-plants, and small leaves. 

 Usually the nest is placed in swampy localities among the dwarf 

 willows. The eggs, 4 to 5 in number, are dull greyish, very 

 closely spotted with brown and dark grey, the ground colour 

 being almost obscured, and measure from 0'80 by 0*58 to 0*98 

 by 0-65. 



