MARITIME TRACT. 7 



until they reach the sea in the neighbourhood 

 of Brighton, and form a precipitous coast from 

 Kemp-town as far as Beachy Head. 



But to the ornithologist, perhaps, the most in- 

 teresting district is the flat, maritime tract which 

 lies between the Downs and the sea, and extends 

 jfrom Brighton to the westward, as far as Chiches- 

 ter harbour, where it reaches its extreme breadth ; 

 and here, long winding creeks and estuaries, 

 flanked by wooded promontories, and studded 

 with swampy islands, sheltered from the storms to 

 which the higher grounds are exposed, afl'ord a 

 welcome retreat to our feathered visitors during 

 the inclement season of the year. The consider- 

 able peninsula which extends to the south-west of 

 Bognor, terminating in the headland of Selsey 

 Bill, is perhaps as little known to the world as 

 any portion of Great Britain, lying, as it does, far 

 to the south of the more frequented highways; 

 but it comprises a great extent of sea-coast, 

 dotted here and there with patches of brushwood 

 and rough copses of stunted oak — tempting places 

 of rest to our vernal migratory birds on their 

 first arrival from the continent — and also in- 

 cludes within its limits a wide-spreading inlet of 

 the sea, known as Pagham harbour, which might 

 almost be termed a great salt lake ; for the en- 

 trance to the haven is so narrow and shallow, 



