MEADOW-PIPIT. 
When all but running water is frozen, they betake themselves to the edges of the saltings or any open springs. 
These residents seldom appear much affected by the cold, and may be seen in any ordinary weather running 
actively over the ground m search of food. The extraordinary violence of the wind during the terrible snow 
s orm of January 18 1881, however, proved most disastrous to the feathered tribe, and utterly incapacitated 
“ ! 7 ° ff t 7 “a I •° UrSe ' Th0USaml8 “ USt haV ° P Mish8d throu S>' ooM and want of 
food ter the buffe ings they received during the force of the gale. On the 20th of January (eight days 
after the storm) I happened to be m Shoreham harbour shortly before high tide. This was the first time 
the water had entirely covered the mudflats since the hurricane; and I remarked hundreds of dead bodies 
of small birds (Larks, Pipits, Linnets, and many others) washed out from the weeds growing on the banks 
These unfortunate birds must have sought shelter from the cutting blasts among the stems oAhe plants and 
perished from the long-continued inclemency of tlie weather. 
When the large flights of Blackbirds, Thrashes, Fieldfares, Larks, and other small birds pass alone 
the coast from east to west on the approach of snow-squalls during the winter months, it is seldom an^ 
considerable bodies of Pipits make their appearance. I have seen small parties searching for food in 
sheltered spots at the time the general movement was taking place, but cannot call to mind an instance 
of meeting with more than a few specimens working their way west at this season 
Towards the middle of March these birds commence to return to our shores. Any still foggy mornin- 
from about the 10th of the month till well on in April, they may be noticed landing on the south coast, singte 
and m small flecks, from shortly after daybreak till nine or ten o'clock. For a day or two they may be 
observed m numbers about the banks of streams and saltwater pools near the sea-beach; but with a change 
of weather they soon proceed inland, and scatter themselves over the country. Under the date of March 27 
1873 I find m my note-hooks that hundreds of Meadow-Pipits had now returned and taken up their quarters 
on the marshes and round the broads in the east of Norfolk. These birds made their appearance simultaneously 
, 7 “ ° Starlings, which continued flying east for throe or four days. Several parties composed 
entirely of male Chaffinches also passed over. I remarked the Grey Crows were then gathering previous to 
a -mg their departure. Light easterly winds appear to bring ail these birds (both those that are leaving our 
shores and our own summer migrants when on their return journey in the spring) to this part of the 
coast It is seldom that any addition to the numbers of these birds is observed in the Highlands before 
April ; tills fact was noted for a couple of seasons in the east of lloss-sliire. 
The persecution that this unfortunate Pipit undergoes from the various smaller Hawks in the Highlands 
ought to tend to keep down its numbers. Merlins, Sparrow-Hawks, and Harriers all appear to "have a 
special fancy for feeding their young 1, roods with this particular bird as long as any are to be met with in 
icir neighbourhood. I am aware my own experience in this respect differs considerably from that of a well 
known writer on Highland sports, who remarks that this species suffers from the attacks of ground-vermin 
such as stoats and weasels, but is seldom molested by Hawks. 
l'or breeding-purposes the Meadow-Pipit resorts to a great variety of situations. On the south coast I 
laic found their nests in the long rank grass growing round the pools of brackish water within a short 
distance of the sea-shore. The pairs that nest in this locality are, without doubt, residents that have passed 
the winter in the district. In many instances I recognized the three or four pairs that have their quarters 
round a certain piece of water near Shoreham, on every occasion when visiting the spot during autumn, 
winter, and early spring. These stationary birds are remarkably early breeders ; their nests are usually built, 
and their eggs not unfrcquently laid, before the greater number of the migrants have arrived. Many pairs of 
Pipits may be seen on the furze aud heath- covered rauges of the South Downs duriug the summer months. 
Their nests are usually placed under the shelter of the heather or other coarse vegetation on a grassy bank, or 
even in some slight inequality in the ground or on the bare hill-side. Among the broads and rivers of the 
