VARIOUS SPECIES. 77 



The advanced guard of this emigrant host usu- 

 ally makes its appearance in the neighbourhood of 

 Worthing, Shoreham and Brighton, about the lat- 

 ter end of August or early in September, and is 

 generally composed of detachments of meadow 

 pipits* (Anthus pratensis), pied wagtails (Mota- 

 cilla Yarrelli), tree pipits (Anthus arboreus), and 

 yellow wagtails (Motacilla jlava), the two first- 

 named species being generally understood to be 

 permanent residents in England during the whole 

 year. Many of those birds certainly do remain 

 with us during the winter, but I am disposed to 

 think that these are the natives of more northern 

 and western counties, which, having proceeded 

 thus far towards the south-east, are, as it were, 

 satisfied with this partial migration, and do not 

 cross the Channel, unless subsequently compelled 

 to do so by unusual severity of weather at a much 

 later period of the year. 



But the troops of these autumnal voyagers do 

 not consist merely of dentirostral or exclusively 

 insectivorous birds ; the conirostral tribe furnishes 



* Some idea may be formed of the number and extent 

 of these flocks from the fact that one skilful bird-catcher, a 

 few years ago, took in the neighbourhood of Brighton, with 

 a clap-net, as many as twenty-four dozen of meadow pipits 

 in a single morning. This was early in September. 



