170 BIRDS OF NOKFOLK. 



be owing to tlieir specific distinctions being but little 

 known, since, if shot, and mistaken for the common 

 titlark, they would invariably be thrown away as of no 

 value ; but although I have myself sought for this bird 

 in every likely locality and at the proper seasons, I have 

 never met with it here, and indeed have seen but 

 three specimens at any time in the hands of our bird- 

 stuffers. In the month of February, 1855, a single 

 bird was shown to me (killed near Yarmouth during 

 very severe weather), which corresponded with speci- 

 mens procured by myself in Devonshire and Sussex ; and 

 two others in my own collection were secured at one shot, 

 on the river's bank, near St. Martin's gates, quite close 

 to the city, on the 7th of March, 1864. These were no 

 doubt passing over us in their migratory course, and 

 had paused for awhile to rest and feed, even in a locahty 

 so unusual for the Rock-Pipit, whose haunts are essen- 

 tially the " rock-girt shore" and the margin of brackish 

 waters. Messrs. Gurney and Fisher speak of the rock- 

 pipit as migrating to our coast in autumn; and the 

 Messrs. Paget also remark that ^' a few are occasionally 

 seen about Breydon wall." Mr. Dix however informs 

 me, that on the brackish margin of the Orwell, near 

 Ipswich, they are not uncommon in autumn, as he has 

 killed them there himself, and one would naturally have 

 expected to find them as plentiful, in similar situations, 

 in our own county. The great difference observable 

 in the plumage of some rock-pipits obtained in this 

 country has, at various times, attracted the attention of 

 naturalists, and the question whether two or more dis- 

 tinct races have not been hitherto confounded, is now 

 occupying the attention of our leading ornithologists. 

 Mr. Hancock, who has recently examined my two 

 Norwich specimens, together -with, many others sub- 

 mitted for his inspection, decides that one at least of 

 those birds, having a bright buff or cinnamon coloured 



