The Zoologist— May, 1869. 1683 



A. aquaticus, the spots are much larger and more numerous, the tail-feathers are 

 stouter and longer; while A. aquaticus is smaller and finer, and with a hhie tinge on 

 the back and a vinous breast in spring, which colours disappear in autumn, the former 

 being lost, and the latter changed to pure white. I have a series of the eggs of both 

 birds — some of those of A. aquaticus, which are companions of, and came over from 

 the Continent at the same time with, the one figured by Dr. Bree ; but no disiinction 

 of value can be given, they are so much alike. Doubtless many a water pipit has 

 done duty for a rock pipit, or, being in autumn plumage, has passed for a larije 

 meadow pipit, A. praieiisis. Dr. Bree mentions that the first primary in Anthus 

 aquaticus is the shortest, which Mr. Pratt, in the ' Zoologist,' p. 9280, correctly points 

 out in A. aquaticus to be the longest. When placed side by side, the distinction be- 

 tween these British birds in all plumages is very apparent; he that runs may read. 

 If the naturalist find a green tinge, he knows that he has a rock pipit; if he observe 

 the blue and red, he sees a water pipit in summer plumage ; when he has a while 

 bird, he is sure that it is A. aquaticus in autumn plumage. The two intermingle 

 sometimes on the sea shore ; I know instances of such cases. This has caused the 

 confusion. But one is a land bird, the other a frequenter of the sea shore. I do not 

 here give a fresh diagnosis of each species. The measurements can easily be taken 

 from Dr. Bree and Mr. Yarrell. — Geo. Dawson Rowley, M.A. ; 5, Peel Terrace, 

 Brighton, April 5. 



Richard's Pipit. — A specimen of this bird in summer plumage was taken on 

 Clayton Hill, near Brighton, on March 12th, and sold to Pratt, the naturalist, who 

 has mounted it for Mr. Borrer's collection. — T. W. Wonfor, Hon. Sec. Brighton and 

 Sussex Nat. History Society. 



Meadow Pipits. — Swaysland informs me that since the 19th of February, when he 

 received the first, he has had brought in twelve meadow pipits, all in summer plumage 

 — no two marked in the same way : one, a very large and handsome bird, about 

 twice the size of ordinary specimens, with scarcely a black feather in the breast. He 

 tells me the meadow pipit in winter plumage is often taken to him as the rock pipit 

 — the latter a very uncommon bird on the coast, while the former is comparatively 

 plentiful. — Id. 



Firecrested Regulus, near St Leonards. — Mr. R. Kent has been good enough to 

 give me the offer of two firecrested wrens this Veek, killed at St. Leonards — both in 

 the flesh. I was prevented from buying the first, but got the second one for my col- 

 lection. It was killed on the 9ih. I do not know if this species has been got before 

 in the month of April. — /. H. Gurney,jun. ; Bank, Darlington. 



Pied Jay. — A curious variety of the jay, in which the three middle feathers in 

 each wing are white, was obtained by Mr. Druitt, at Oving, near Chichester, on 

 March 14 th.— T. W. Wonfor. 



Migration of Wood Pigeons. — Several observers having recorded, in the ' Zoologist,' 

 the unusually large migration of wood pigeons that has taken place this winter, and 

 as the study of the migration of birds is just now a subject of great interest to the 

 ornithologist, the following observations, made during the present winter at Carshalton, 

 may be interesting to its readers. The wood pigeon is a very common bird in this 

 district, and remains with us the whole year, without any appreciable alteration in 

 its numbers. This winter they have been quite scarce, except when flocks have 

 passed over in their migration. In the month of December flocks, varying in number 



