MARITIME TRACT. 7 



until they reach the sea in the neighbourhood of 

 Brighton, and form a precipitous coast from 

 Kemp-town as far as Beachy Head. 



But to the ornithologist, perhaps, the most in- 

 teresting district is the flat, maritime tract which 

 lies between the Downs and the sea, and extends 

 from Brighton to the westward, as far as Chiches- 

 ter harbour, where it reaches its extreme breadth ; 

 and here, long winding creeks and estuaries, 

 flanked by wooded promontories, and studded 

 with swampy islands, sheltered from the storms to 

 which the higher grounds are exposed, afford a 

 welcome retreat to our feathered visitors during 

 the inclement season of the year. The conside- 

 rable peninsula which extends to the south-west of 

 Bognor, terminating in the headland of Selsey 

 Bill, is perhaps as little known to the world as any 

 portion of Great Britian, lying, as it does, far to 

 the south of the more frequented highways ; but it 

 comprises a great extent of sea-coast, dotted here 

 and there with patches of brushwood and rough 

 copses of stunted oak tempting places of rest to 

 our vernal migratory birds on their first arrival 

 from the continent and also includes within its 

 limits a wide-spreading inlet of the sea, known as 

 Pagham harbour, which might almost be termed a 

 great salt lake ; for the entrance to the haven is so 

 narrow and shallow, and the channel within so 



