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THE TREE PIPIT. 

 (Anthus trividlis.) 



Frequenting the woods, the Tree Pipit seeks only the 

 clearings, especially the wild parts, where these and 

 copsewood alternate, and the ground is mossy. At the 

 time of migratory flight it likes to rest on vegetable fields 

 and cornfields. It will rest willingly on trees, but prefers 

 the ground. Very small seeds it will eat, but all kinds 

 of grubs and caterpillars and insects it prefers. The 

 Tree Pipit has a pleasant note, "Zed, zed, zed" the 

 mating call is more like " Seele, seele, seele." It is 

 absolutely useful in its mode of living. 



It nests in Hungary more numerously than any other 

 of the Pipits, for it has relatives which only visit our 

 neighbourhood. At the time of migration, they arrive, 

 rest themselves, and go off again. 



In addition to the Pipit here described there is the 

 Water Pipit, which breeds here. It seeks the mountain 

 districts in summer, but takes refuge in the valley in 

 winter ; Richard's Pipit, rather larger than these others, 

 and with longer legs and a very long hind claw. The 

 Meadow Pipit only passes through our land, like the 

 Tawny Pipit ; both of the latter nest in the far North, 

 and they go far South in the winter. 



The Tree Pipit comes to the South of Great Britain 

 early in April, and it is spread pretty considerably 

 throughout the country, excepting in Cornwall and 

 Wales. As yet it is not, I believe, in Ireland. The 

 song of this bird is rather like that of a Canary. It 

 begins on the highest branch of a tree generally, after 



