A SUSSEX MARSH 



I imagine the stone-curlew, or thick-knee, sometimes 

 called Norfolk plover, found an excellent breeding- 

 place here. Rabbits are abundant, and hares betake 

 themselves hither when too hotly pursued on the scent- 

 holding pastures of the adjacent Marsh. In summer 

 the handsome sea-poppy, or horn-poppy, blooms here 

 abundantly, and its delicate yellow flower and the fine 

 blue of a wild borage show notably against the grey 

 glare of the interminable shingle. The sea has much 

 receded along this part of the coast, and whereas in 

 in old times ships rode at anchor close to Pevensey 

 Castle, it is now nearly a mile from the walls of that 

 stronghold to the shore. 



Along the coastline of the marsh many notable and 

 some rare birds are to be seen at different seasons of 

 the year. Flights of dunlin, wheeling in the winter 

 sunlight like little clouds of drab and silver, or run- 

 ning briskly along the edge of the tide, are familiar 

 objects. I have noted along the quiet shore-line 

 between Pevensey and Little Common redshanks, 

 sanderling, stints, knots, and grey phalaropes. These 

 last are rare visitants, which occasionally rest here on 

 their way south. The grey phalarope is one of the 

 most interesting birds that visit our shores during 

 autumn and winter. Breeding in Spitzbergen and 

 other remote places within the Arctic Circle, it may be 

 seen during summer swimming contentedly among the 

 icebergs off the coast of Greenland and other frigid 

 shores. It has been observed as far south as Chili and 

 New Zealand. As with the divers, the legs are com- 

 pressed ; the toes are coot-like, with curious lobed 

 webs. In size the bird is somewhat bigger than a 

 dunlin. These birds are usually, on their first arrival, 

 extraordinary tame, and, unfortunately for themselves, 

 are easily shot. On shore and in flight they look 



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