OF yOETHTTMBEELAirD AKD DTTRHAM. 59 



54. Meadow Pipit. A. pbatensis, {Linnceus.) 



Anfhus pratensis, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, 1., 189. 

 „ ,, YarreU, Hist. Brit. Biixls, Ed. 2, I., 427. 



A resident, and abundant everywliere. This species is closely 

 related to A. cervinus of the continent, which some of my speci- 

 mens resemble so closely, that it is almost impossible to separate 

 them. 



55. EocK Pipit. A. obscitrtjs, (Pennant.) 



Anthus aquaticus, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, 1., 187. 

 ,, petroms, YarreU, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, I., 432. 



A resident, breeding plentifully on our rocky sea shores, and 

 remaining with us the whole year. 



This species can scarcely be distinguished from A. rupestris, 

 Nilsson, of which it is surely a mere race. Both forms occur in 

 Sweden and in England. My specimens from Sweden, which 

 are undoubtedly Mlsson's A. rupedris, differ only from A. oh- 

 scunis by having the tints of the under parts somewhat warmer. 

 My late friend, Mr. "Wheelwright, at my request, kindly for- 

 warded to me a number of specimens of the Swedish bird for 

 comparison. On examination, some of these were found to be 

 perfectly similar to our form, so that they could not be divided 

 from it. 



Through the kindness of Mr. "W. E. Brooks I received, some 

 years ago, from Chepstow, both the bird and egg of the normal 

 Swedish form. The bird was shot April 18th, 1854, and the 

 egg taken and most carefully verified by his friend, who says 

 that several of these birds were seen in the same locality. Erom 

 this gentleman's description of the nest, it does not appear to 

 differ at all from that of A. olscurus. Its situation was precisely 

 similar to that of some others observed in the same place ; one 

 or two of the nests were so high in the . cliff that they could not 

 be obtained. 



The two so-called species graduate into each other in such a 

 manner that it is quite impossible to divide them by the colour 



