MOTACILLID.E. 45 



drawn attention to it on each occasion when examples were ohtaind 

 by Mr, J. Gatcombe in the south, and by Mr. G. F. Mathew in the 

 north of the county ; and the particulars furnished us by both those 

 gentlemen of the gestures, note, and flight, as observed by them, agree in 

 all their details. Nine examples in all came under Mr. Gatcombe's notice, 

 and he bas recorded the partiality of the bird for fields in which cows 

 were feeding. Mr. Gatcombe was the first naturalist who detected the 

 bird in Devonshire. The fact that no more specimens have been obtained 

 in our county during the last twenty years, and only one seen, is pro- 

 bably due to the want of observers who are familiar with the bird, as 

 many doubtless have visited us during that long interval. 



Four specimens were obtained at Stoke, near Devonport, in December 1841 by Mr. 

 J. Gatcombe, and another in November 184-t (W. S. H., Zool. 1844, i)p. 4%, 879). One 

 Tras shot on the Laira Marsbes near Plymouth on Janiiar}- 2Sth, 1853. being the seventli 

 obtained within eight years (R. A. J., ' NaturaUst,' 1853, p. 158). Mr. Gatcombe saw 

 one March 14th, 1878, nearPlj-moutli. He altogether met with seven examples in that 

 neighbourhood liimself, besides two others that were brouglit to the bird-stutfers in the 

 flesh (Zool. 1878, p. 249). 



One was killed at Braunton Eurrows, December 30th, 1864 ; another January 4th, 

 ] 8r.9 ; and a third December 8th, 18(i9. (G. F. M„ Zool. 1865, p. 9457 ; 1869, p. 1561 ; 

 1872, p. 2919; and ' NaturaUst,' 1866, p. 358). 



Water-Pipit. Antlms sjnjjoletta, Linn. 



A casual visitor in early spring, of very rare occurrence. 



On the 18th March, 1883, when returning from a long country walk, 

 as we passed the Custom House on Exeter Quay, a bird suddenl}^ ap- 

 peared before us which we at once perceived was something new to us. 

 It was rather tame, but restless, and evidently a stranger, creeping along 

 at the base of the walls of the goods' sheds, where it attracted the attention 

 of some Sparrows who mobbed it. Obseiwing it at the distance of a few 

 yards we saw it was a Pijnt having a grey head and back, white throat, 

 breast, and belly, slightly tinged with buff on the sides of the neck, and the 

 outer tail-feathers, which it dis])layed when opening and shutting its tail, 

 were pure white. South-easterly winds had been prevalent for a fort- 

 night previously. We think there can be little doubt but that it was a 

 Water-Pipit in breeding-jjlumage, and having lately inspected specimens 

 collected by Lord Lilford in the South of Eurojio we arc confirmed in this 

 opinion (W. I)'U., Zool. 1883, p. 221). Mr. Gatcombe saw one on 

 March Sth, 1873, near Plymouth (Zool. 1873, p. 3502). 



The specimens reported from Torquay and from J'lymouth in March 

 1808 appear to have belonged to the variety rxpeslri^, Nilsson, of tlie 

 next species (Zool. 1808, ]). 1254 : and J. G. /u Utt.). The Water-Pipit 

 has not been recorded as occurring in cither Cornwall, Dorset, or 

 Somerset. 



