624 COKYDALLA EICHABDI. 



places it " frequented were low grounds occurring below jheels or talaos ; the water constantly percolating 

 through the reservoir-bank kept the low grounds adjacent rather damp, and in many places quite wet. Over 

 a greater part of this low ground, the rice-crop having been gathered, there now grew a small vetch with blue 

 flower, and in these vetch-fields the large Pipit of which I am speaking delighted. Before retiring among 

 the vetches to feed they sat for some time, as a rule, upon the little bunds which divide the fields; and when 

 they did this I found the best plan was to wait till the lookout was over and the birds had retired among the 

 crops to feed. It was then possible to creep up within shot." In Ceylon the Marsh-Pipit exhibits none of 

 this shyness when inhabiting public resorts, but is, on the contrary, very tame. In wet weather in the Eastern 

 Province I have, however, found it somewhat wary in marshes. Mr. Seebohm observed that it hovered like 

 a Kestrel at its great breeding-grounds on the Yenesay. In Furreedpore it is said to frequent fields of peas, 

 linseed, &c. ; and, according to Jerdon, it is always found "in swampy or wet ground, grassy beds of rivers, 

 edges of tanks, and especially wet rice-fields, either singly or in small parties." 



Nidification. — There is not much known about the nesting-habits of this fine Pipit. It is probable that 

 our birds all breed in Thibet and Turkestan. Col. Prjevalski, the celebrated Russian traveller and ornithologist, 

 found it breeding in Kan-su, where it arrives in May ; and Dr. Scully considers that it hatches its young 

 about the beginning of July in Eastern Turkestan. In Northern Asia Mr. Seebohm shot the young in 

 August on the Yenesay, so that its breeding-season throughout Central Asia must be June and July. Con- 

 cerning its breeding in Dauria, Mr. Dresser writes as follows : — " Dr. Dybowski writes (J. f. O. 1868, p. 334) 

 that it is common in Dauria, and remains there to breed; but he gives no information as to its habits or 

 nidification, excepting that he found its nest, and that it deposits five or six eggs ... It is curious that, although 

 this bird has been so frequently met with in various parts of Europe, and must breed there (for I have before 

 me European-killed specimens in young plumage), there does not appear to be any reliable instance on record 

 of its nest having ever been taken in Europe ; and, in fact, next to nothing is known respecting its nidi- 

 fication. I have a clutch of five eggs collected by Dr. Dybowski in Dauria; but they were sent to me 

 without the nest, which I am therefore unable to describe." These eggs are described as being greyish 

 white, closely spotted with greyish olive, and as measuring 09 to 078 by from 067 to 0-62 inch. 





