1 62 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



The English name of the present bird is but 

 partially descriptive, and to a certain extent even 

 misleading. There is nothing in the term to convey 

 the fact of the bird being exclusively a littoral one, 

 or that its haunts are cliffs rather than rocks. Mac- 

 gillivray's name of " Shore Pipit " is certainly more 

 applicable, but even this is open to the equally fatal 

 objection that it does not convey the fact that the 

 bird is confined to rock-bound shores only. "Sea 

 Pipit " might be suggested as a compromise. This 

 little bird is specially interesting, for it is in this 

 country at least the only Passerine species which 

 is confined to the coast. It is never met with out 

 of sight of the sea under any normal circumstances. 

 It is for the most part a sedentary species, although 

 during the migration periods it may be noticed 

 moving along the coasts on passage, and then 

 inhabits less precipitous localities. These migrants, 

 however, appear to belong to the northern race ; 

 so far as our observations go (and they extend over 

 many years) the British Rock Pipits are sedentary. 

 No coast is too wild and rock-bound for the Rock 

 Pipit ; it may be seen flitting along the face of the 

 beetling cliffs where scarcely a foothold can be 

 obtained, as well as frequenting the boulder-strewed 

 beach, or those localities where the cliffs are more 

 broken into downs. Although an unobtrusive little 

 bird, it is one not easily overlooked, for its complain- 

 ing note is most persistently uttered, and its short 



