Order Passi formes, Family Motacillidae, Genus Anthus. 35 



Food. — Chiefly insects, which it catches upon the ground. 

 It occasionally takes moths upon the wing, caterpillars living 

 in the grass, and larvae and chrysales, which it finds hidden 

 in the base of tussocks, also grass seeds to a small extent. 



Flight.— Quick and slightly undulating; usually low. 

 Now and then it may rise to a hundred feet or so," but it 

 does not fly far unless pursued by a hawk or magpie, when it 

 rises almost perpendicularly, keeping above its enemy, till it 

 is often almost out of sight. So quickly does it rise that it is 

 seldom, if ever, caught. 



Song. — The song is not loud, but a very pleasing, high- 

 pitched, trilling warble, uttered during its undulating flight. 

 At this time it rises to a considerable altitude. When the 

 song is finished it seems to almost fall straight down to its 

 mate on the ground. It occasionally sings while perched upon 

 a fence post. It only sings for a few weeks at mating time. 

 The song and its habit of singing during its flight are very like 

 a true lark. It also has an alarm call, which is a short 

 chirrup, often repeated twice, uttered from its reconnoitring 

 stone, or on leaving the ground when disturbed. 



Nest. — This is placed in a depression in the ground, either 

 made by the bird or in the footprint of a horse or cow, made 

 when the ground is soft. It has been found in an empty jam 

 tin, also in one instance in a broken bottle. It is often placed 

 near a tussock of grass or small shrub, but sometimes quite in 

 the open. The nest itself is a strong, well made, deep cup. 

 about 7 cm. internal diameter, composed outwardly of coarse 

 grasses, finer grasses being used towards the lining, which is 

 made of fine grasses, rootlets, and horsehair. Feathers and 

 down are never used. The breeding season is extended. Fresh 

 eggs may be found any time between the end of June and the 

 beginning of January. The clutch is usually three, sometimes 

 four, and two or three broods are reared each season. 



Eggs. — Ground colour, greyish white, in some eggs with a 

 faint tinge of bluish green. They are uniformly covered 

 with small irregular spots and streaks of brown, sometimes 

 so thickly as to completely hide the ground colour. 



Average measurement of ten eggs, 2.20 cm. x 1.64 cm. 



Largest egg, 2,35 cm. x 1.75 cm. 



Smallest egg, 2.10 cm. x 1.60 cm. 



