The Bird Book 



of its time on the ground, nesting under a tuft of 

 grass or heather in the fields, on the hillsides or 

 the moors. The eggs are of a French grey ground 

 colour thickly dotted over with light or dusky brown 

 and differ largely from those of the Tree Pipit. The 

 latter are difficult to describe, for they vary from a 

 purplish or pinkish red to a stone grey ground colour 

 and are marked with minute dots or bold blotches, 

 sometimes collecting in a ring at the larger end. 



Though they are said to eat worms and even 

 grain when driven by hunger, both species feed 

 chiefly on insects, which are captured sometimes in 

 the air after the manner of a Flycatcher but more 

 often after the fashion of Wagtails, which they 

 resemble in the curious " dipping" motion of the 

 tail. Hence they are often to be seen running 

 about the pasture fields, following the grazing 

 cattle, and making a meal off the flies that those 

 animals invariably attract. In the winter the 

 Meadow Pipit resorts largely to the saltings of the 

 seashore or betakes itself to the turnip fields, 

 and so strong is their scent that most sporting 

 dogs " point " them. The gunner, who is on the 

 qui vive for a Partridge, is startled to see an in- 

 significant little bird rise with a flutter from the 

 ground almost beneath his feet and drop into 

 cover again a few yards further on, or circle 

 around uttering a "peeping" note. On such 

 occasions they attract attention which may be 

 natural, but certainly is not historical. 



