THE PIPITS. 
I07 
more generally in the latter localities during the winter season. 
Many migrate south in winter, and it is noticeable that those 
which return to England in the spring are much brighter in 
plumage than those which are resident in the British Islands. 
On the south coast of England there appears to be a small 
resident race of Meadow-Pipit. 
Range outside the British Islands. — Generally distributed through- 
out Central and Northern Europe, ranging eastwards to the 
Valley of the Ob. Principally known as a winter visitor 
to the Mediterranean countries, and wintering in Northern 
and North-eastern Africa. 
Habits. — As the name denotes, the present species is more 
a bird of the meadows than of the trees, like the foregoing 
bird, but it does occasionally perch on trees and bushes, 
though its life is principally passed on the ground. It is 
found in nearly every kind of situation, on moorland and the 
sides of hills, where its short song is often heard in the spring, 
as it takes brief flights into the air and descends again to the 
ground It is especially common near the sea-shore, and 
frequents the beach and the saltings, where numbers may 
be seen at any time of the year ; and though the species 
cannot be said to be gregarious during the breeding season, 
they are found in small parties in the autumn, and sometimes 
even in large flocks. During the shooting season, the Meadow- 
Pipit is a frequent object in the turnip-fields, as, when dis- 
turbed, it cither flies away silently and drops down again a 
little further on, or flies round and round before settling, 
uttering a “peep”-ing note. It the winter it may be seen 
running along the edge of ice-holes in search of food, and 
then often frequents the shores of rivers, and is sometimes 
driven to seek its sustenance in farmyards. The food con- 
sists almost entirely of insects, which it often pursues into the 
air like a Flycatcher. It is also said to eat small worms and 
fresh-water mollusca, while it has also been known to feed on 
seeds and grain when hard pressed. 
Nest. — Composed of dry grass with an admixture of moss, 
and lined with finer grass or hair. It is always placed on the 
ground. 
Eggs. — From four to six in number, and somewhat variable 
