1920.] Birds of Quetta. 1-45 



Anthus sordidus. 



A. s. rajjtus Hart. {=: Anthus leurophri/s captus 

 Hart.) 



Anthus slmilis Oates, Fauna Brit. India. 



Anthus jerdoni Cat. 13. M. x. p. 5G2. 



A common resident, ascending to 9500 feet in summer and 

 wintering lower down. Three nests found contained two, 

 four, and four eggs on 10. v., 23. v., and 23. v. respectively. 

 These nests were of unlined grass, one was placed under 

 the shelter of a small rock and the other two under tufts of 

 grass, all being well hidden. In the first two nests the eggs 

 were brownish white, covered almost evenly with broAvn and 

 purplish spots'. In the third nest the eggs were greyish 

 white with purplish and black spots of various sizes, denser 

 at the base, where they almost formed a zone round the larger 

 end. The average measurement of seven eggs was *87 by 

 •71 inch. A fourth nest found on 9. vi. contained a young- 

 Cuckoo (telephonus) and two newly-hatched Pipits, one dead 

 chick lying within six inches of the nest. All nests were 

 found between 7500 and 9000 feet. 



In all fifteen specimens were obtained. These agree well 

 with specimens from Palestine, whence the type was obtained. 

 Nine males have wings varying from '.•7 to 105 mm. ; five 

 females have wings varying from 91 to 102 mm. Birds were 

 in full moult in the middle of August. Of seven specimens 

 of both sexes shot in May, six have an unspotted breast and 

 one has the normal spotting. At other times of the year all 

 my specimens had the normal spots. 



This bird perches freely on trees and telegraph-wires, and 

 though confined to grassy or bush-clad hill-slopes in summer, 

 hangs about water and flooded fields in winter. 



I never met with either the Tree-Pipit or Tawny Pipit 

 near Quetta. In view of the frequency of reports to the 

 contrary and the total a])sence of these birds during my two 

 years' observation at Quetta, I cannot help feeling that they 

 have been mistaken for the Water-Pipit in winter plumage 

 or Anth}is sonlidus captus. 



SKU. XI. VOL. II. L 



