582 MOTACILLID^. 



Pratt, of Brighton, who states (Zool. p. 9280) that an 

 example had been killed near Worthing and another on the 

 beach near Brighton some time before. These two speci- 

 mens having been sent to Mr. Gould for examination were by 

 him determined to belong to the Antlms sp'ipoletta of conti- 

 nental authors (Ibis, 1865, p. 114). The Brighton specimen 

 passed into the collection of the late Bishop Wilberforce, 

 whose son, Mr. Wilberforce of Lavington, has kindly permit- 

 ted Mr. Knox — the especial authority on Sussex ornithology, 

 to make a fresh examination of it for the purposes of this 

 work, while the present possessor of that which was obtained 

 at Worthing, Mr. Thomas Boyntou, of Ulrome Grange in 

 the East Biding of Yorkshire, has as kindly submitted it to 

 the Editor's inspection. In each case the result of the 

 investigation confirmed the original determination of Mr. 

 Gould. Since these captures became known several other 

 supposed instances of the occurrence of this species have 

 been placed on record. Most of these later specimens have 

 been seen by the Editor, but one of them only can be declared 

 to be truly an Antlius spipoletta. This is in the possession 

 of Mr. Kowley and was obtained 26th October, 1868. The 

 rest seem to be examples of the Scandinavian form of the 

 Eock-Pipit to be mentioned under the account of that bird. 



This species was sufficiently well characterized by Wil- 

 lughby and Kay, who met with it in Italy, as the Sp'ipo- 

 letta of the Florentines — a name which under various forms 

 seems to be nowadays used in some parts of that country for 

 one kind of Pipit or another*. Linufeus in quoting the word 

 misspelt it, and though Bonaparte restored the original 

 orthography few have had the courage to follow his example. 

 Bechstein in 1807 (Gemeinn. Naturgesch. Deutschl. Ed. 2, 



one of the synonyms of A. spijioldta, he subsequently identified with this bird 

 (Zool. p. 1023), but, as he did not procure a specimen, the accuracy of the ob- 

 servation must remain open to question. 



* Cetti (Ucc. di Sardegna, p. 159) said that Pispoletta was the right word 

 (but that by a common metathesis becomes Spipoletta) and thereupon Pallas 

 changed the spelling of the Linnisan name. His A lauda pispoletta however is a 

 true Lark and quite distinct from the species under consideration {see Lord 

 Walden's remarks, Ibis, 1869, p. 213, note). 



