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PIPASTES AGILIS
Indian Tree-Pipit.

Anthus agilis, Sykes in Proc. of Comm. of Sci. and Corr. of Zool
ee : ol.

° . S - va :
Birds in Mus. East-Ind. Comp., vol. i. p.3 Oc., pt. 1. p. 91.—Horsf. and Moore, Cat. of

: 04.—Adams in Proc. 7 5
fe ae . Zool. S *t xxvi. 1858 F
Swinh. in ‘Ibis,’ vol. v. p. 310, and in Proc. Zool Soc., 186: - Ee
—— maculatus, Hodgs. in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1844, p. 83.—B . C, ee
9. LOE - OJ.— bonap. r Av ,
Dendronanthus maculatus, Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat — re Gen. Ve tom. i. p. 248, Anthus, sp. 17.
Anthus brevirostris, Hodgs. in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1844 p 33 ae ay
"9 >» DP. So.

arboreus -d. Madre ; it ai

US, deat Madras Journ. of Lit. and Sci., vol. xi. p- 11.—Gray, List. of Spec .

and Birds presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson Esq p e) eee Pa as er

het ° iC ie ~ a 2 eae) Ye

- trivialis, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xvi. p. 432.—(Horsfield & Moor
Pipastes agihs, Jerd. Birds of India, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 228 volgen
Musarichi, Hindoos, Jerdon.

 

 

Khorasant churt of some falconers, Jerdon.
Liku-jitta, Telegus, (7. e. Blind bird) Jerdon.

 

ae ae De at ‘hue a of England (the Anthus arboreus of authors) are so very similar that
it requires the onan g i of the ornithologist to distinguish one from the other ; some persons, and
aun ‘eae Mr. Swinhoe, consider that it can scarcely be regarded as more than a race of the Kuropean
bird, while Mr. Jerdon and Mr. Blyth treat it as a separate species. The differences are certainly very
trivial, but they are as comet as those which are found between many other European and Tdi ines
which were formerly believed to be identical, but which are now admitted to be distinct. The Indian bird
is always rather larger than its European ally, and moreover differs from it in having the back of a greener
hue, and less strongly striated with dark brown, while the throat is decidedly of a deeper fulvous, oe the
markings of the breast more conspicuous.

The Pipastes agilis enjoys a very extensive range in the eastern parts of the Old World, being very
generally distributed over the peninsula of India, China, Formosa, and, according to Mr. Swinhoe, Japan.
As is the case with our own Tree-Pipit, but little difference occurs in the colouring of the two sexes. Of

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the nidification scarcely anything appears to be known.

Mr. Blyth informs us that “this bird abounds in Bengal during the cold season, and, it would seem, in
ardens, with a disposition to be social, if

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suitable localities throughout the country, frequenting groves and g

not gregarious, and, where an extent of thin tree-jungle harbours them, in considerable numbers. I have

fly to and fro over their haunts in scattered parties, now
uently uttering a slight chirp,

noticed that, towards evening, they commonly
perhaps two or three, then several, and then perchance a solitary bird, each freq
hile near together on the same tree; t
be guessed what bird it was, till one had been

and often several descending to alight for a w his restlessness they will
ould scarcely

continue to evince till it is getting dark ; and it w
Its flesh is used asa restorative to the Bhyree (L’alco pere-

brought down. I never heard this species sing.
grinus), and is said to be very delicate.”

“The Indian Tree-Pipit,” says Mr. Jerdon,
It is found over all India in tl

e end of April. It frequents ¢
of tanks, and other moist places. It

ing disturbed flies up at once to the

“is very similar to, but appears to differ slightly from, its

se cold season; for it is a winter
ardens, groves, and thin tree-jungle,

European congener. visitant only, arriving
early in October, and departing about th
and occasionally erain-fields, the beds of woody streams, the edges
usually feeds on the ground, upon various insects and seeds, but upon be

feeds on trees, hopping about the |
to kill many mosquitoes 5 hence some of its

and elsewhere in Bengal, and sold as

i + branches and occasionally
nearest tree; 1t now and then, however, uppel bi s é ally
It is said by the natives

snapping at an insect on the wing.
for the table at Calcutta

native names. It is taken in great numbers
Ortolan.”
Dr. Leith Adams states that this species 1S ©

it 1 1 “ing winter 1 . latter country, and le
Punjab ; that it is gregarious during winter 10 the latter country, «

oonah, in the Deccan, and the Northern

ommon around P
ss abundant on the lower Himalayan

range. ae
B° «This Tree-Pipit stays the

Speaking of the P. agilis as observe
and summers in the
bundant in winter in
1 spring, few,

d by him in China, Mr. Swinhoe says,

north, Amoorland, and J
all the groves and copses,
to breed. ‘The

apan.” In his Notes on For-

winter in the south of China, Re .
mosan Ornithology, he remarks that it “1s a
under the shadow of the trees. It leaves for the north
younger birds are greener on the back, and distinctly spotted

a ‘fs the yer pi
taken for the European A. arboreus. In the adults the up] |

if any, remaining
in this plumage they might almost be mis-

its become more sombre, and the spots