250 BRITISH BIRDS. 



more or less a rock birdj breeds on the highest mountains, above the limit 

 of forest-growth, on the borderland of a region of perpetual snow. It is 

 said to leave its lowland haunts in March or early in April, ascending the 

 mountains in small flocks, and waiting on the borders of the frost until 

 summer clothes the mountain-sides with brilliant flowers and a luxuriant 

 alpine flora. It is a somewhat shy bird, frequenting the ground or perch- 

 ing on the rocks, running about like a Wagtail in search of its food, and 

 ever and anon essaying short fluttering flights into the air to warble its 

 song, which somewhat resembles that of the Meadow-Pipit, but is louder, 

 though not so sweet. Its call-note resembles the word ist, and scarcely 

 difi'ers from that of the Meadow- Pipit or the Rock-Pipit. Its song-flights 

 are often taken from the top of a stunted bush, a boulder, or large stone. 

 Like all the rest of this subfamily of birds, it runs along the ground, never 

 hops, and often wades into the little pools in search of its food. Its flight 

 is undulating and uncertain, like that of its congeners. 



The Alpine Pipit is very common in the Engadine, and frequents the 

 higher mountain-slopes above the limit of forest -growth, seven or eight 

 thousand feet above the level of the sea. At a distance these moun- 

 tain-slopes look like barren rock and snow ; but when you climb up to 

 them the alpine flora, though somewhat sparsely scattered, is brilliant 

 enough. On the outskirts of each snow patch the delicate little Soldanella 

 abounds, and its pale purple flowers may often be seen growing out of the 

 snow itself. In the more sheltered crevices in the rocks the crimson rho- 

 dodendron blooms, but is represented on the more exposed knolls by the 

 richly scented Daphne. On the dry limestone slopes the Edelweiss is com- 

 mon enough, and on the banks of the streams the gentians almost dazzle 

 the eye by the deepness and intensity of their brilliant blue. Other 

 flowers not less remarkable abound — the delicate bird's-eye primrose with 

 its pale pink flowers, and a dozen others, saxifrages, asters, and the white 

 and the blue aconite, reminding one continually of the flowers of the 

 Siberian tundras. Here the Alpine Pipit is by far the commonest bird, 

 and you may contrast his gentle ist with the loud mee-ik of the Marmot, 

 which are almost the only signs of animal life in these regions. A few 

 other birds, however, are occasionally seen. The Wheatear ranges up to 

 the snow-line, and by extremely good luck you may see a Snow- Finch, an 

 Alpine Accentor, or a Ptarmigan. In its habit the Alpine Pipit resembles 

 the Meadow-Pipit. Late in summer they seem to be more or less gre- 

 garious, and often half a dozen or more are seen together. 



The breeding-season of the Alpine Pipit commences in May, and its eggs 

 are often laid by the second week of that month, sometimes late in April. 

 Its nesting-site is selected on the ground or in a crevice of the rocks : 

 sometimes a site is chosen amongst the stones ; but it is usually amongst 

 the herbage in its marshy haunts. The nest is made of dry grass, moss. 



