ANTHUS CORRENDERA 47 



the end of April, after having finished breeding ; at any rate 

 I have never in all my wanderings seen one of them later 

 than this period of the year. They return to the vicinity of 

 Stanley about September, and breed in the beginning of October, 

 laying three eggs in an open cup-shaped nest at the root of the 

 long grass." 



Durnford says of it in Central Patagonia : — " Resident. 

 Common in the valleys and on the hills. In the winter they 

 associate in small parties and frequent the lower lands." 



I found this Pipit common in open country, at all altitudes, 

 from sea level to the top of the Sierra Carmen Sylva. Shortly 

 after landing at the end of winter, I shot my first specimen on 

 the bare flats at Useless Bay Settlement, where the only other 

 small land bird to be seen living in similar conditions was 

 Geositta cunicidaria. In sj^ring and summer it soars high into 

 the air, and has a beautiful song. Geese excepted, the nests are 

 more often found than those of any other bird. A day's ride 

 is productive of three or four at least, with no more efibrt than 

 alighting to examine the ground when the bird rises in front 

 of one's horse. But it is not easy to discover the nest, 

 unless the exact spot is marked where the bird rose, as this is 

 usually sunk in a hollow, completely masked by grass. The nest 

 is built entirely of fine grasses. In all, I must have seen about 

 thirty nests, with eggs or young. The usual number of eggs 

 is three. I do not remember having seen more than this 

 number. The breeding period seems to be of longer duration 

 than in the case of the majority of birds. My first nest was 

 taken at Sara Settlement, October 16th. As late as about the 

 beginning of January, I found nests with young on the downs 

 to the south of Useless Bay. The egg is of blunt oval shape, 

 greenish white — where ground colour is visible — thickly blotched 

 with vinaceous brown, lighter and somewhat mauve coloured 

 beneath. The three Sara Settlement eggs measure 0*8 inch 

 in length: two are 0'65, one 0'6 inch, in diameter. The Qgg 

 from Rio McClelland Settlement measures 0'85 by 0"65 inch. 



