THE PEECHING BIRDS. 135 



Dever been my fortune to come across one of these fine vocal per- 

 formers in the act of skying, as does the British bird, but 1 am told by 

 one of my friends that they do sky. There is nothing, in the whole of 

 the bird world that is more pleasing than a skylark pouring out its 

 jubilant song as it mounts up and up into the blue vault of heaven. 

 Certainly no phase of bird-life has inspired more poetry. 



The crested lark ((Jalcrita leautungcnsia) is another very good 

 songster. It occurs everywhere. As the name suggests it possesses 

 a long crest, that makes it quite a pretty bird, inspite of its dull drab 

 plumage. 



Two short-toed larks (Almtdida chelecnsis and Caiendrella brachy- 

 daotyla) are common in Chihli, the former breeding in many places on 

 the coast. Two shore-larks (Alauda al'pestris and A. sihlrica) also oc- 

 cur in North Chihli, but are not common. 



Next to the larks come the wagtails, several species of which 

 may be seen, especially during the migrations. The most beautiful 

 of these is the yellow-headed wagtail {Motacilla citreola). It is of a 

 grey colour with black and white wings and tail, and a brilliant yellow 

 head and breast. It frequents marshes and river banks on its way 

 to and from its breeding grounds in Siberia. 



Another handsome species is the pied-wagtail (M. leucopsis). 

 This bird has a white face, black breast, black and white wings and 

 tail. It nests m mountain valleys, where it may be seen through- 

 out the summer flitting about the rocks and pebbles in the stream 

 beds. 



A third species is the eastern race of the white wagtail (M. bai- 

 Jiolcnsh), which is not imlike the pied wagtail, but has the top of the 

 head black, the back and sides grey, with only a very little white on 

 the wing. 



Other species are the streak-eyed wagtail (M. occvlaris), the yel- 

 low wagtails (A/, flava and M. borealh) and the grey wagtail (M. 

 melanofi). ' 



Nearly related to tlie wagtails are the pipits, the following species 

 occuring in North China: — Richard's pipit [Anthns richardi), Gustav's 

 pipit (A. gvstavi), Blakiston's pipit (A. blaliistoni). the tree pipit {A. 

 cervinus) and the Japanese pipit (^4. japojiicus). These birds, like tht 

 wagtails frequent watery places, living upon flies and spiders. They 

 are all of sombre hues, greys and browns predominating in their plum- 

 age. 



The wall-creeper (Trichodroma muraria), our next species, be- 

 longs to a group, which is represented by but a comparatively few 



