BIRDS 



a fine adult male which was shot near 

 Worthing. This I procured from Mr. Sways- 

 land in the spring of 1879, and the feet of 

 the bird were quite soft and pliant, sliowing 

 that, as he stated, it had just been taken. It 

 is curious that this lark does not come to us 

 more frequently. I have seen many in summer 

 in the north of Normandy, where the species 

 is common. 



m. Short-toed Lark. Alauda brachydactyla, 

 Leisler. 

 This lark has occurred three times in Sussex 

 (Borrer). 



112. White-winged Lark. Alauda sihirica, 



J. F. Gmelin. 

 The only British specimen of this rare lark 

 was taken in a net at Brighton and exhibited 

 by Mr. Rowley at a meeting of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society, January 27, 1870. The specimen 

 is now in Mr. Monk's collection. 



113. Shore-Lark. Otocorys a/pesiris (Lmn.) 

 A somewhat rare winter visitor, occurring 



in small numbers on the coast. 



114. Swift. Cypse/us apus (hinn.) 

 Locally, Anchor bird (M. J. NicoU). 



A regular summer visitor, arriving after the 

 swallows and departing before them. 



115. Alpine Swift. Cypselns vielba {L\nn.) 



It is stated in the Zoologist (p. 3330) that a 

 specimen of the Alpine swift was captured at 

 St. Leonards-on-Sea in October, 185 1. It is 

 said to have passed into the hands of a Mr. 

 Johnson, chemist, of that place. The speci- 

 men does not seem to be now forthcoming, 

 for nothing is known of its existence in that 

 town. 



116. Nightjar. Caprimulgus curopaus^Liinn. 

 A regular summer visitor to the districts of 



forest, fern-bank and heath. I think that 

 the species is much scarcer than it used to be. 



117. Wryneck. lynx torqullla, Linn. 



A regular spring migrant, nesting through- 

 out the county in small numbers. 



118. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Galley bird (M. J. NicoU). 

 Fairly well distributed throughout the 

 county and even common in the big oak dis- 

 trict of the north and west. In the late 

 summer and autumn the green woodpecker 

 may frequently be seen searching for insects 

 on the ground. 



119. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Dcndto- 



copus major (Linn.) 

 The least common of the three species of 

 woodpecker. Where natural conditions pre- 

 vail in the form of large oaks, elms and 

 beeches the great spotted woodpecker is not 

 rare, but its shy and retiring disposition causes 

 it to be frequently overlooked. 



120. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendro- 



copus minor (Linn.) 

 Although the 'yaffle' is considered the com- 

 monest of the woodpeckers in Sussex, I am 

 inclined to think that in west Sussex the 

 lesser spotted woodpecker is far the most 

 numerous (in east Sussex the larger bird is 

 considered the commoner species). If this 

 little bird fancies that danger is to be appre- 

 hended, it will remain quite still on the 

 reverse side of a bough away from the obser- 

 ver, and there lie ' perdu ' for half an hour 

 without a move. 



121. Kingfisher. A Icedo ispida, hinn. 

 Resident and found by nearly every stream 



and lake. In the winter many repair to the 

 ditches of the Weald and even to tidal waters. 



122. Roller. Coracias garrulus, Linn. 



The earliest record of this species in Sussex 

 is that of Hill {Hist. Anim. p. 369), who 

 states that he saw one in Charlton Forest in 

 1752. Markwick says in his catalogue read 

 before the Linnsan Society (1795), 'A bird 

 of this species was killed in this neighbour- 

 hood,' and in the Denne MS. I find that the 

 specimen was shot near Crowhurst Church 

 on September 22, 1790. Since that date 

 several have been obtained at rare intervals 

 throughout the past century. 



123. Bee-eater. M crops apiastcr, Linn. 

 Like the last named species a rare strag- 



gler. 



124. Hoopoe. Upupa epops, Linn. 



Every year a few hoopoes make their way 

 north and arrive in Sussex about the end of 

 April or beginning of May. Its brilliant 

 plumage and graceful flight are only too 

 attractive, and so the man with the gun finds 

 it irresistible in spite of acts prohibiting its 

 slaughter. I must plead guilty to having 

 shot one many years ago at Angmering near 

 Worthing, a locality regularly visited by the 

 hoopoe. The hoopoe sometimes rests in 

 Sussex on the autumn migration. 



125. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, Linn. 

 An abundant summer visitor. 



283 



