792 The Zoologist — June, 1867. 



Habits of the Rock Pipit.— In Mr. Stevenson's ' Birds of Norfolk,' vol. i. p. 169, 

 there is an article upon this bird as an "occasional visitor" to that county. Mr. 

 Stevenson says that the rock pipit does not breed in Norfolk, and he mentions two 

 specimens which he shot on the 7th of March, 1864, near Norwich, on the river-bank, 

 as birds " that were passing over in their migratory course, and had paused a little 

 while to rest and breed." I think if Mr. Stevenson will examine the question 

 a little more closely he will 6nd lhat the bird is a constant winter resident on the banks 

 of the fine Norwich river, and that it merely migrates down to the coast to breed in 

 summer. I do not suggest this from any actual knowledge of the subject as applied 

 to the bird in Norfolk ; but I infer it from what I know of the bird's habits in Essex. 

 When I first came to Colchester, in 1859, Dr. Maclean, who is a well-known naturalist, 

 put me in possession of the whole " little history," which is very interesting. All 

 through the winter the banks of the Colne between Colchester and the sea are occupied 

 by the rock pipit, and Dr. Maclean especially pointed out to me that whenever they 

 were flushed they invariably alighted on the muddy portions of the shore — never on the 

 grass. One of them was shot and stuffed by Dr. Maclean, so that there could he no 

 mistake about the species, with which, in fact, he had been many years acquainted. 

 In the spring all the birds leave the shores of the river, and will be found breeu : ug 

 among the grassy cliffs of the coast, returning to the banks of the river again in tho 

 autumn. Mr. Stevenson will at once see the source from whence come the birds found 

 on the banks of the Orwell, as stated by Mr. Dix. They come from the Felixstow or 

 Walton cliffs, where they breed every year. It is a fair inference, I think, that the 

 birds shot by Mr. Stevenson on the Norwich river in March were going down to the 

 coast to breed, and that he will find the same habits obtain in Norfolk which I can 

 speak from my own knowledge do in Essex.— C. R. liree ; Colchester, May 16, 1867. 



Water Pipit at Brighton. — When at Brighton, during Easter week, I saw several 

 specimens of this bird in the possession of Mr. Swaysland, the naturalist, of Queen's 

 Road: on inquiry I found he had obtained them near Brighton between ihe Kith and 

 20th of March last: there were ten specimens in all. As this is, I believe, but the 

 second authentic record of the appearance of this species in this country, it is worth 

 noticing. — Frederick Bond; 21, Adelaide Road, May 2, 1867. 



Wood Lark at Brighton. — I was very much surprised at the number of wood larks 

 I saw in Brighton : I was told that they had occurred in large flocks, as many as two 

 thousand birds being seen in one day. I have myself never seen more than about two 

 dozen iu a flock, more often from five to ten birds, so I thought you would like to know 

 of the occurrence of this species in such large numbers. — Id. 



[From all correspondents iu Sussex and Kent 1 hear of the extraordinary number 

 of wood larks that have been observed during the past spring: it would be most 

 interesting to learn more particulars as to the direction of their flight, condition, &c. 

 Do these birds usually form part of the great vernal immigration ? I have no recol- 

 lection of having seen at any time more than three or four together, and more com- 

 monly one only, high up in the heavens, and pouring forth his delicious notes on the 

 wing, in the manner of the sky lark. — Edward Newman.'] 



Snow Bunting at Eastbourne. — A splendid pair was shot at the " Wish Tower " on 

 Sunday, April 14th, one of them being in the full summer plumage, lhat is, pure 

 white head and breast, and black back. I have never seen one here in the summer 

 plumage before. — John Dulton. 



