ROCK-PIPIT. 119 



under parts, and with very dark legs. Length, 6 ins. Wing, 

 3*55 ins. Tarsus, i in. 



The American Water-Pipit, A. s. rubescens (Tunstall) was 

 taken on St. Kilda in September, 1910, and has been previously 

 recorded on information considered insufficient. This race, 

 which breeds in eastern Siberia as well as in Arctic America 

 and Greenland, is slightly larger, more tawny, and has more 

 white on the tip of the second pair of tail feathers. 



Rock-Pipit. Anthus petrosiis (Mont.). 



On the more rocky portions of our entire coast-line the 

 Rock-Pipit (Plate 39) is resident, and as numbers leave us in 

 autumn and return in spring it is also a summer visitor. The 

 form to which our bird is referable is found in France and 

 apparently the coast of Norway, whilst it winters as far south 

 as Spain ; the Baltic or Scandinavian Rock-Pipit, A. p. littoralis 

 Brehm, visits us regularly in autumn and winter ; it breeds in 

 Sweden and Denmark and winters in Germany and France. 



In summer this coast-loving species is never far from rocks, 

 but in winter it wanders to mud-flats, sandy shores and 

 estuaries ; Macgillivray suggested Shore-Pipit as a better 

 name, but after all its home is amongst rocks. Whether at the 

 foot of storm-beaten precipitous crags or on the tangle-covered 

 rocks exposed at low tide it is equally at home, and on stacks 

 and islets dwells amongst the waders and gulls. Indeed when 

 it is feeding along the tide-line or on rocks over which the surf 

 is rolling it frequently wades, running swiftly back from 

 advancing waves. It flutters along the shore before us, with 

 its short rather metallic call-note, phist, phist, corresponding 

 to the peep from which the pipits get their name. When we 

 have advanced too far it rises and after beating up into the 

 wind with jerky, erratic flight, slips swiftly down wind and 

 alights again to feed. It often dances above our heads calling 



