42 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



states that it congregates in August and September on sheltered beaches 

 (Nat. Hist. S. Devon, p. 377) ; and Mr. Gatcombe says that flocks of old 

 and 5'oung are seen on the coast in August (Zool. 1874, p. 42:^9). The 

 Eev. 11. A. Julian says this species is common and much frequents the lines 

 at Devonport and the marshes at ]^aira. 



It occurs every spring on Huish Ley, or marshes, in greater or less 

 numbers about the beginning of April, and in the fall there are large 

 numbers spread over the whole district around Kingsbridge (11. P. N. and 

 E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). It is occasionally seen in spring and autumn on 

 the muddy shores of the estuary of the Exe, and in the marshes near 

 Topsham, where we have obtained it in full breeding-plumage. The 

 earliest arrival we have noted was on April l;jth, IS.53 (W. D'U.). 



It is said to be an occasioiud breeder on Luudy Island (Trans. Devon. 

 Assoc, viii. p. 307). It is only a passing visitor in spring and autumn in 

 Cornwall. 



The pleasant, musical call-note of the Yellow Wagtail is one of those 

 voices of the spring which all rejoice to hear, and it is more particularly 

 to be enjoyed by those living in the eastern and central parts of the 

 kingdom, for, beyond showing itself for a day or two in the early spring 

 and again in the autumn on those parts of our coast which form con- 

 venient rallying-points for its passage across the Channel, this bird very 

 rarely stays long with us in the far West. We could never detect it 

 nesting in North Devon, where it is a rare bird, and there are not many 

 instances of its having nested in the south of the county. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Taunton we have remarked a few in the beanfields throughout 

 the summer. When the meadows in the Midland Counties are purple with 

 the nodding snake-heads (Fritillaria), and the Cuckoo's note is sounding 

 all through the day, the Yellow Wagtail may be observed in some numbers 

 in most of the large pastures, cornfields, or beanfields. Anyone who 

 wishes to study this graceful and beautiful little bird Mill have to look for 

 it in these its favourite haunts, for, unlike the common Pied Wagtail, it 

 rarely approaches our dwellings and lawns. Many of these Wagtails arrive 

 in this country in the spring in immature plumage, as we have shot them 

 then with the black semicircle on the throat which is characteristic, more 

 or less, of the young of every species of AVagtail. We have considered 

 that these may possil)ly have been birds which had been reared during 

 the sojourn of the adult birds in their winter-quarters, and which had not 

 had time to arrive at their mature jilumage before migrating north. 



THE PIPITS. 



The Pipits are a confessedly difficult group to study. 

 Some of the species very closely resemble each other, and 

 this is especially the case in the immature plumage. We 



