138 Commander H. Lynes on a 



Anthus trivialis (L.). 



The Tree-Pipit was met with on migration only. 



Egypt. — The passage was only a small one_, starting as 

 early as the last week of August or even earlier ; small 

 parties of three and four were met with off and on up to the 

 third week of October. The Tree-Pipit's passage was then 

 concluded. 



Crete. — The first occurrence in spring was that of an 

 emaciated specimen caught at sea off the north coast on 

 28th March. Flocks were noted on 11th April, and small 

 flocks and parties were still passing through on 27th and 

 28th April. On 29th April a Tree-Pipit came on board ship 

 at sea, forty miles west of Crete. 



Anthus pratensis (L.). 



The jVIeadow-Pipit seemed to be the predominant winter 

 visitor all over the Mediterranean basin ; even at Malta 

 and in " birdless " Italy the species was plentifully met 

 with, frequenting not only open fields and plains, but also 

 orchards and cultivated lands. 



Egypt. — First noted on 23rd October, and soon becoming 

 plentiful, the numbers varying from day to day, being 

 greatest in the second and third weeks of October, after 

 which they decreased, assuming winter-proportions by the 

 second week of December. During their period of passage, 

 Meadow-Pipits were often found in company with Red- 

 throated and Water-Pipits in moist places, but when settled 

 down in winter quarters they more often frequented drier 

 spots than either of those species. 



Crete. — Plentiful in scattered parties in winter. Between 

 the 8th and 22nd March these winter Meadow- Pipits were 

 noticeably forming into larger and more compact parties, 

 perching high in the tops of plane trees, flying about up in 

 the air in a restless manner, finch-like, in compact flocks. 

 Their flight was swifter, and it even seemed with more 

 " chirp " in their note than usual — in fact, under vernal 

 influences behaving altogether in a singular manner. By 

 22nd March all seem to have departed, and there were no 

 indications of any migrants passing through. 



