152 



Dr. Henderson obtained a specimen on the return journey from Yarkand, at the foot of the 

 hills leading into Kashmir, and says that it is equally common in the plains during the cold 

 season and in the hills during part, at any rate, of the hot weather. According to Mr. Oates 

 (Faun. Brit. Tnd., Birds, ii. p. 307) it is "a winter visitor to the plains of the north-west of 

 India, extending to the east as far as the Sikhim terai and Mughal Sarai, and to the south as 

 far as Khandesh, Jalna, and Nagpur. This Pipit retires in summer to the Himalayas, where it 

 breeds from Hazara to Sikhim, up to about 6000 feet elevation. The range of this bird extends 

 to Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Persia." 



In its habits this Pipit appears to most nearly resemble Anthus richardi, and Mr. Davison 

 remarks that its note also resembles that of Richard's Pipit, but is louder and clearer. He 

 generally noticed it on the slope of the hills, and also met with it on grassy lands and in barley- 

 fields after the grain had been reaped, and found it shy. Mr. Reid, who met with it near 

 Lucknow, where it is not common, observed it occasionally in cultivated tracts, ploughed fields, 

 and about mounds covered with broken brick and scrub jungle. Its flight is strong and 

 undulating. 



This Pipit breeds in Afghanistan and in various parts of the Himalayas. Major Wardlaw 

 Ramsay found a nest in Afghanistan on the 22nd June under a small bush at the foot of a rock. 

 It contained three eggs, of which, however, he does not give a description. Col. Marshall, who 

 met with it breeding at Murree, says (Stray Feath. 1873, p. 356) that it does not breed above 

 6000 feet altitude, and that it nests low down on the hillside, the nest being roughly constructed 

 of grass, the normal number of eggs being four. Mr. Hume describes (Nests & Eggs of Ind. 

 Birds, 2nd ed. ii. p. 213) eggs sent to him by Col. Marshall as follows: — "Moderately broad, 

 fairly regular, ovals, somewhat compressed or pointed towards one end ; the shells are compact 

 and fine, but almost entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is brownish or greyish white, 

 and they are profusely speckled, spotted, and streaked, and in places blotched and clouded, with 

 a sort of sienna-brown and a pale dingy half-washed-out colour, which varies from pale sepia to 

 pale inky purple. The markings are everywhere thickly set, but they are much more dense 

 towards the large end, where they very generally form a more or less confluent cap. Some of 

 the eggs have all the markings somewhat purple, and others have them browner. In length 

 these eggs vary from 0'82 to - 87, and in breadth from 0'62 to 0-65." 



The present species has by many authors been united with the African form Anthus sordidus, 

 Riipp., from which, however, it is fairly separable, being much more uniform in coloration 

 both on the upper and underparts, the dark markings on the upper parts so conspicuous in 

 Anthus sordidus being much less developed, and on the underparts the present species has much 

 fewer spots on the breast as compared with A. sordidus. 



The specimens figured are those above described, and are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a,$. Etawah, N.W. India, winter (TV. E. Brooks), b. Near Kotri, Sind (TV. T. Blanford). c. Simla 

 (Thornton), d. Murree (Marshall). 



