204 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



the Larks. If it is flying over a considerable distance at a not very great elevation, 

 it progresses in wide and shallow undulations, not however in so striking a manner 

 as the Wagtails. Its flight at considerable elevations is more like that of the 

 Larks. Arrived at the goal of its flight, the bird executes a fluttering or shaking 

 movement before descending, previously for a moment surveying the place on which 

 it intends to make sure that no danger is lurking for it there. In the course of 

 its elevated flight it frequently halts for a moment in a similar manner." 



The nest of this species, which appears not to have been described, but which 

 doubtless resembles those of other Pipits, is built early in June in a depression in 

 the earth among grass ; the eggs, which number from four to six, are greenish- 

 white or pinkish-white, spotted and blotched with various shades of brown : they 

 somewhat resemble those of the Rock-Pipit excepting in size. 



When on the earth Richard's Pipit progresses much in the same fashion as 

 its allies, by running ; its food also consists chiefly of insects, their larvae, and 

 doubtless of spiders. Captain Legge states that in Ceylon it often seizes a passing 

 butterfly on the wing. In an aviary it would doubtless eat the same soft food as 

 that already recommended for insectivorous birds. 



Gatke says : — " I kept a young autumn bird of this species, slightly grazed 

 on the wing by a shot, for several days alive in a large cage, in company with 

 several Buntings and Finches, with which it agreed very well. The bird was not 

 at all shy or wild, but ran about nimbly and cheerfully, and also accepted readily, 

 and within my immediate neighbourhood,* some maimed flies which were offered 

 it. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for maintaining an insect-feeder, and, much 

 to my chagrin, was obliged to kill it, so as to avoid torturing it uselessly. I was 

 the more sorry for this, as I felt convinced that I could quite easily have kept it 

 alive with ants' eggs, for it is a hardy and by no means a delicate bird." 



If Herr Gatke had only been aware of the fact that all insectivorous birds 

 are passionately fond of yolk of egg, and that it suits them well, he need not 

 have been unhappy, or unnecessarily have taken the life of his pet ; moreover, with 

 a canvas bag at the end of a stick, he could (in a few minutes) have swept up 

 as many insects, spiders, etc., as would have provided his Pipit with a substantial 

 meal. Meanwhile, he could have written for a supply of dried ants' cocoons and 

 preserved yolk of egg ; and on this diet, with the addition of bread-crumbs and 

 potato, his bird would have lived happily through the winter. The moral of which 

 is that, before attempting to keep birds, one should know more about them than 

 can be learnt from purel}^ scientific works. 



* This strikes me as a bad translation: it should (I think) be — "when I was close to it." A. G. B. 



