BRITISH BIRDS. 53 



moderate and curved in some species, but in others long 

 and nearly straight. 



64. Anthus pratensis (Linn.). MEADOW-PIPIT. 



Hab. Europe, north to Iceland, and lat. 70 in Norway, 

 south to the Pryenees, Alps and Carpathians, east to 

 beyond the Ural Mountains ; also Asia Minor. In winter 

 southward to Africa. 



Male : above, rather light olive -brown with a narrow 

 dark centre to each feather ; primaries dark brown 

 margined exteriorly with yellowish-green ; wing-coverts 

 and secondaries edged and tipped with buffish-white ; outer 

 tail-feather on each side mainly white, next one with some 

 white near tip, rest dark brown ; above eye an indistinct 

 whitish stripe ; throat dull white ; lower parts buffish- 

 white, streaked on sides of neck, breast, and flanks with 

 blackish-brown ; bill dark brown, pale at lower base ; 

 iris hazel ; feet pale brown ; claws darker, hind one 

 long and little curved. Length 575. Female scarcely 

 differs. After autumn moult, both sexes are darker 

 above and have a pronounced brownish tinge below ; 

 migratory birds show this plumage on arriving on our 

 South Coast in spring, and are also slightly smaller than 

 residents. 



Common throughout British Isles, frequenting chiefly 

 rough and elevated districts, but also found in lower 

 pasture-land ; in winter gregarious and partially migratory. 

 Nest : placed on ground in grass or heather ; composed of 

 dry grasses and lined with finer grass. Eggs ; 4 or 5 ; 

 greyish-white, mottled all over with chocolate-brown, and 

 often with one or two black streaks ; size '80 by '58 ; two 

 broods are produced . Shrill but not unmusical song is 

 usually uttered on the wing. Call note : a plaintive peep\ 

 flight-note : a low gip, gip, gip. 



