32 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



the unmistakable note of tliis bird, about the old 

 place, and followin*^- it up, shot a third specimen 

 (Zool. 1872. p. 2019). 



WATER FI?lT.—A)ifhi/s .yunoMfn. 

 A RARE straggler. Mr. Gatconibe detected this species 

 in South Devon, in 1878, writing, " March 8th, 

 walked for some miles along the coast, and observed 

 .... a specimen of the Water Pipit, (AntJms 

 sjyinolettd), which species is rarely seen on the 

 Devonshire coast" (Zool. 1873. p. 3563). 



ROCK FIFIT.—Anfkns oUcurus, (Lath). 

 A RESIDENT species on our coast lines. The late 

 ]\fr. Stevenson writes of its habits, as studied at 

 Teignmouth ; " This species in Devonshire, seems 

 to take the place of the Meadow Pipit on the 

 Eastern coasts, frequenting the grassy slopes by the 

 sea, and the rocks at low water left bare by the tide. 

 Here they flit noiselessly from one weed-covered 

 stone to another, searching the little hollows between 

 for insect life, or running along by the edge of the 

 water, dart at the sand-flies as they rise," (Zool. 

 1860. p. 6798). The vinous -breasted variety of the 

 Rock Pipit, known as Anthiis rujjestn's, which breeds 

 on the Scandinavian coasts, has occasionally been 

 detected in spring, on the South coast of Devon. 

 Mr. Gatcombe shot a bird of this form on the rocks 

 near Plymouth, March 21st, 1868, prior to which 

 he knew of a specimen obtained at Torquay. In 

 1883, additional examples of this race of Pock Pipit 



