THE ALPINE PIPIT. 



Anthus spipoletta (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 12. 



A few years ago the Alpine or Water-Pipit was considered an unusual visitor 

 to England, but of late it has been frequently seen and obtained on migration, 

 mostly in Sussex. 



Its summer home is among the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, and 

 across Asia, while in winter it visits Africa, India, and China. 



When its high summer haunts are free from snow, the Alpine Pipit returns to 

 them, and there on the ground, among rocks and stones, the nest is placed. It is 

 made of dead grasses, moss, and small roots, and lined with hair or wool. The 

 four or five eggs are greyish-white in ground colour, and blotched with olive-brown. 



Seebohm compares its song to that of the Meadow-Pipit, but says it "is louder 

 though not so sweet." 



The sexes do not differ in colour. 



Referring to the name of Alpine Pipit, Lord Lilford, in his work on British 

 Birds, says : " I have adopted the above designation for this species in preference to 

 that of Water-Yx'^iX, for the simple reason that all the European species of the 

 genus Anthus frequent the sea-shores and alluvial flats in autumn and winter, and 

 are, with very few exceptions, at all seasons fond of the neighbourhood of water, 

 whilst the present bird, during the breeding-season, is seldom, if ever, to be met 

 with, except among mountains of a considerable elevation." 



An example of the American Water-Pipit {Anthus ludovicianus) occurred in 

 St. Kilda in the autumn of 1910. 



This species breeds in the Arctic portions of north-eastern Siberia and Northern 

 America, and winters as far south as Central America. 



It is rather larger than A. spipoletta, and more tawny on the underparts. 



82 



