THE TAWNY PIPIT. 

 Antkus campestris (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 12. 



This species is an irregular autumnal migrant to England, some thirty or forty- 

 examples having been obtained, mostly in Sussex. 



It is said to visit the north of France and Holland annually in summer, and is 

 also found over the greater part of Europe, and ranges eastwards into Asia, winter- 

 ing in India and North Africa. 



It is a bird of the desert wastes and uncultivated country, and, according to 

 Lord Lilford : " In comparison with the other species of the genus Anthus, this is 

 a shy and retiring bird, chiefly remarkable for its loud single alarm-note." 



He describes a nest he found in Spain as follows — " it was placed between 

 two large clods of sandy earth, near a horse-track, was composed of dry root-fibres, 

 lined with goat's-hair, and contained four eggs of a dull creamy white profusely 

 blotched and streaked with ash-grey markings." 



The male and female are alike in colour. 



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