. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms; . he hosts which arrive on the east coast of Scotland and Englandfrom the Continent on approach of severe weather, the birds making their appearance inthousands, forming a constant and unbroken stream for two or three days in succession. Close allies of the Larks, the \V.\gtaii,s and PlllTS come next under consideration. Theformer range over the Old World, but are unknown in Australia and Polynesia. The pipitshave a similar range, but one species is found in, and is peculiar to, Australia. Like wagtails,pipits are unkno
. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms; . he hosts which arrive on the east coast of Scotland and Englandfrom the Continent on approach of severe weather, the birds making their appearance inthousands, forming a constant and unbroken stream for two or three days in succession. Close allies of the Larks, the \V.\gtaii,s and PlllTS come next under consideration. Theformer range over the Old World, but are unknown in Australia and Polynesia. The pipitshave a similar range, but one species is found in, and is peculiar to, Australia. Like wagtails,pipits are unknown in Polynesia; only two species occur in America. The Wagtails are generally black and white, gre\ and white, grey with yellow breasts,or yellowish green with \ellow breasts. In the last-mentioned case, as in some specimens ofthe Yellow Wagtail, the yellow predominates. These birds frequent streams and stagnantwaters, like the Relt and Grev Wa(;tails; or corn-fields and meadows, as in the case of theYellow Wagtail. All these are commonlv met with in the British rhili it C. RiiJ SKYLARKS The numbers of ikylarki seem to trcrease ivith the spread of agricultural improfemtnt 130 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD The PiriTS are duller-coioured than the Wagtails, have shorter tails, and evince lessfondness for the water. The Meadow-, Ruck-, and Tree-PIPITS are the commonest British Wagtails nor Pipits are much given to perching, but the Tree-creepers spendtheir lives upon trees, some being specially modified for this mode of life, their tail-feathersbeing stiff and terminating in sharp points. By pressing its tail closely against the tree-trunkup which it is climbing, the bird obtains a wonderfully reliable support. Beginning at thebottom of a trunk, creepers quickly work their way up in a spiral direction, or sometimesin jerky zigzags, searching every crevice for tiny insects, their eggs and larvae, and flittingfrom the higher branches, when these are reach
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectzoology
