160 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



another close by it, without coming to the ground : 

 this habit has, in some places, gained him the name 

 of " Wood-Lark " ; but I need hardly say that the 

 true Wood-Lark [Alauda arhorea) is a very distinct 

 bird, which differs from the present species in many 

 essential particulars, and whose song is in every way 

 far superior to that of the Tree-Pipit. This bird is 

 very active on the ground, and runs swiftly and lightly, 

 in the manner of a Wagtail, in pursuit of insects, 

 which, with rare exceptions, seem to be its only food. 

 In common with a great many of our spring visitors, 

 this Pipit is a very local bird, generally to be found 

 at or about the same spot year after year. There is 

 on the lawn at Lilford a certain oak tree, standing 

 alone, not far from the river, in or about which tree I 

 have never failed to find a pair of these birds for as 

 far back as I can remember, and within a few yards 

 of which I have often found their nest placed on the 

 ground amongst tall grass, and built of moss and dry 

 grass-stalks with a lining of dark hairs. The eggs 

 are generally five in number, and vary very much in 

 difierent nests, though all the varieties possess a certain 

 indescribable character, which, to a practised birds'- 

 nester, would, I think, prevent their being mistaken 

 for those of any other British bird. In the case of 

 the nest or nests above mentioned, I have generally 

 found eggs of a white ground-colour which is nearly 

 hidden by broad streaks and blotches of very dark 

 brown, in others pink is the predominant colour, but 

 I cannot do better than refer my readers to the fourth 

 edition of Yarrell's 'British Birds,' vol. i. p. 572, for 

 a clear description of the " three or four groups " 

 into which a series of the eggs of this bird may be 

 divided. The Tree-Pipit, besides singing on his 



