THE ROCK PIPIT 



Anthus obscurus 



The Rock Pipit is found in more or less abund- 

 ance on all the rocky coasts of the British Islands. 

 Wherever Britain's bulwarks rear their precipitous 

 sides from the encircling sea the Rock Pipit may 

 be found upon them, from the remote Orkneys and 

 Shetlands in the north to the Scilly Islands in the 

 south, from the Fames in the east to St. Kilda and 

 the Blaskets in the west. The most important 

 length of coast-line from which this species is absent 

 is that lying between the H umber and the Thames. 

 It is as yet an undetermined point whether the 

 Rock Pipit is found outside our limits beyond the 

 Channel Islands and the French coasts. On the 

 rocky shores of the White Sea, and the Baltic, as 

 well as on the coasts of Scandmavia a very closely 

 allied race of Rock Pipit occurs, very similar in 

 winter dress to the British form, but characterized 

 in breeding plumage by the vinous tints of the under 

 parts, which are also devoid of spots. 



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