156 



RED-THROATED PIPIT. 



Specific Characters.— Fesiihevs. of upper parts black, distinctly 

 bordered with, grey, so as to give a spotted appearance to the 

 plumage. Cheeks, throat, and breast of the male, and throat of 

 the female, russet red, with longitudinal dark spots. Hind toe of 

 equal length Math the claw; the latter as much or more curved 

 than that of the Eock Pipit. 



Length of male six inches and a half; from carpus to tip three 

 inches and a half; beak from gape three-quarters of an inch; beak 

 along ridge of upper mandible half an inch; tarsus nine-tenths of 

 an inch; hind toe two-fifths of an inch; claw two-fifths of an inch; 

 middle toe seven-tenths of an inch, and its claw a quarter of an 

 inch. Length of female six inches; carpus to tip three inches and 

 one-tenth; beak from gape seven-tenths of an inch; beak on upper 

 ridge two-fifths of an inch; rest as male. 



The Pipits are a very natural but distinct family, 

 closely allied to tlie Wagtails on the one side, and to 

 tlie true Larks on the other. They are also very similar 

 to each other, differing principally in colour, and in the 

 shape of the hind claw. Each species is in fact adapted 

 to the circumstances of its existence. Our own British 

 species illustrates this very well. The Tree Pipit living 

 principally on trees or bushes, has the hind claw short 

 and curved,- the Meadow Pipit, which lives more on 

 the ground, has the hind claw double the length of the 

 former, but nearly straight; while the Rock Pipit, which 

 lives upon insects and seeds found on the mud of rivers, 

 has the hind claw considerably curved, tvjiich enables it 

 to secure a firm footing on. the mud. This bird is 

 tolerably plentiful in the neighbourhood of Colchester, 

 and my friend Dr. Maclean, who has studied the habits 

 of birds for many years with great care, assures me 

 that when disturbed on the banks of the river, it never 

 lights upon the turf, but always upon the mud by the 

 river side. I have myself verified this statement. 



The Eed-throated Pipit belongs to the Rock Pipit 



