WATER-PIPIT. -ROCK-PIPIT. 10;1 



Professor Newton. I have a specimen in my own collection 

 which was obtained in August 1868, and another in March 

 1869_, both shot at Shoreham. 



The most prominent distinction between this and the Rock- 

 Pipit is that the outer tail-feather has the outer web and the 

 distal part of the inner web on each side white, as is also the 

 chin. All those which have been met with have occurred in 

 early spring, and been found around the little pools which 

 have been left by the tide. Mr. Rowley states " that all have 

 taken their departure by the first week in April, and that 

 tliey return again in August/' which rather tends to the con- 

 clusion that they retire inland to breed. I have, however, 

 never heard of the nest being met with in England, 



ROCK-PIPIT. 



Anthus obscurus. 



The Rock-Pipit is a permanent resident, though it receives a 

 great addition to its numbers in the spring. It is for the 

 greater part of the year entirely confined to the coast, and 

 especially to the rocky parts of it, where it may constantly be 

 seen flitting from rock to rock, or searching for small crus- 

 taceans and insects among the seaweed on the beach, and 

 occasionally wading in the shallow water. It may, however, 

 be frequently met with on the muddy flats and shores. In 

 the breeding season the call-note and song are very like those 

 of the Meadow-Pipit, but somewhat harslier. At that time 

 of the year it sings on the wing and with similar actions, and 

 is confined to the clifii's, where it builds in the crevices or 

 little hollows between the rocks or behind a tuft of the sea- 

 pink or other herbage, constructing its nest of dry grass and 

 seaweed, with which it is generally lined, with the addition 



