BRITISH BIRDS. 57 



shire, while at least one example has been obtained in 

 Scotland. 



69. Anthus spipoletta (Linn.). WATER-PIPIT. 

 Hab. Mountain regions of Central and Southern 



Europe ; also Asia Minor and Western Asia. On migration 

 strays to N.W. Europe ; winters in Africa and India. 



Adult (in autumn) : above greyish-brown, browner on 

 the rump ; above eye and ear-coverts, a broad white 

 streak ; wings dark brown, coverts and secondaries with 

 pale margins ; outer tail-feather on each side quite white 

 on its outer half, next two tipped with white, rest of tail, 

 brown ; chin and throat whitish ; sides of neck and 

 breast spotted with dark brown ; belly buffish-white, 

 flanks darker, slightly streaked with brown ; bill and tarsi 

 brown ; hind claw moderately long and very little curved.. 

 Length nearly 6*50. 



A very rare visitor ; four undoubted specimens were 

 taken in Sussex between 1864 and 1877, while it is almost 

 certain that most of the recorded examples of A. 

 hidovicianus (Halting, Handbook, p. 109), must have 

 belonged to A. spipoletta. 



70. Anthus obseurus (Latham). ROCK-PIPIT. 

 Hab. British Islands ; also Channel Isles and northern 



coast of France. 



Male : above olive-brown, with darker centres to the 

 feathers ; above eye an indistinct buffish-white line ; 

 edges of wing-coverts and secondaries slightly margined 

 with pale brown ; tail dark brown, outer feather on each 

 side greyish on exterior half ; under parts pale brownish- 

 yellow, whiter on throat and centre of belly, and with an 

 olive tinge on breast, which is spotted with dark brown, 

 under parts being also slightly streaked ; bill dark brown, 



