BIRDS © 
the sea-bank near Allonby; but single in- 
dividuals have more often come under my 
observation than little companies, 
39. Grey Wagtail. AMJotacilla melanope, Pallas. 
A resident to a limited degree, but mainly 
a summer visitor ; building its nest of dry 
grass stems and root fibres, lined with horse- 
hair, upon the banks of most of our north 
country rivers, though nowhere a very nume- 
rous bird. 
40. Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail. 
flava, Linn. 
A rare visitant. After searching for this 
species for more than sixteen years, I at length 
fell in with a single specimen in the neigh- 
bourhood of Allonby. On May 1st, 1899, a 
single specimen appeared on the sea-bank in 
company with a flock of meadow-pipits. It 
was raining hard, but I long studied the 
actions of the bird. It eventually flew into a 
grass field, and there I was obliged to leave it. 
Motacilla raii (Bona- 
Motacilla 
41. Yellow Wagtail. 
parte). 
We never see the flocks of yellow wagtails 
that are to be observed in the south-east 
counties in spring ; nevertheless a few pairs 
annually nest inthe county. One pair nested 
for two successive seasons on a small patch 
of ground near the Carlisle Goods Station. 
Though chiefly a summer visitant in very 
small numbers, it has occurred, strange to say, 
in early winter. Mr. T. Mann identified a 
solitary yellow wagtail at Aigle Gill, on 
November 27th, 1890. 
42. Tree-Pipit. Anthus trivialis (Linn.). 
A numerous summer visitor to the more 
wooded districts, nesting freely in the north 
and south of the county, but scarcer in the 
west. The eggs of this pipit exhibit a number 
of varieties, perhaps more than any other 
species found in our area. 
43- Meadow-Pipit. Anthus pratensis (Linn.). 
Locally, Moss-Cheeper or Chilper, Mossie 
Lingy, Moortidy. 
A resident ; but large flocks migrate through 
the county in spring and autumn. Present in 
almost endless numbers on our fells, especially 
at the fall ; indeed, its sweet but unpretentious 
song enlivens many a dreary waste, while its 
pertinacity in mobbing the cuckoo is unsur- 
passed by any of our smaller birds. A white 
specimen was sent to me from Silloth in Sep- 
tember, 1888. 
44. Richard’s Pipit. Anthus richardi, Vieillot. 
A rare visitant. Two were identified on 
Barrow Side by the late Mr. W. Dickinson 
in the spring of 1843. A single bird was 
seen at Aigle Gill by Mr. T. Mann and his 
brother in April, 1889 ; another was flushed 
on Skinburness Marsh by W. Nicol in 
October, 1889 ; I met with another at Bow- 
ness, on Solway in September, 1891; none 
of the foregoing specimens were secured. But 
on October roth, 1898, my friend Mr. T. 
Williamson was crossing Edderside Moss when 
his dog flushed a Richard’s pipit from some 
rushes which he shot. I examined it early 
next day at Aigle Gill and found it to be a 
bird of the year, Mr. T. Mann and his 
brother met with another example of this 
large pipit in a turnip field on November gth, 
1898. 
45. Rock-Pipit. Anthus obscurus (Latham). 
A local resident in the neighbourhood of 
the coast, particularly in the neighbourhood of 
St. Bees, where a few pairs breed. I have 
never met with it inland, but solitary in- 
dividuals winter upon the saltings of the Sol- 
way Firth, frequenting the creeks and drains. 
46. Golden Oriole. Oriolus galbula, Linn. 
A very rare visitant. A bird in female 
dress was shot at Irton in 1857. A small 
party of orioles was seen near Lorton in 1878. 
An adult male was killed some years ago near 
Penrith and taken in the flesh to Mr. T. Hope. 
A female or immature male was killed in the 
Caldbeck district prior to 1886. I have no 
more recent records. 
47. Great Grey Shrike. Lanius 'excubitor, 
Linn. 
A rare winter visitant. I have notes of at 
least seventeen specimens obtained in different 
parts of the county between 1880 and 1899, 
including examples secured in the neighbour- 
hood of Egremont, Cockermouth, Bewcastle, 
Alston, Renwick, Penrith, Wigton, Carlisle, 
Brampton, Drumburgh and Skinburness. Of 
these the earliest arrival was shot on Sep- 
tember 13th. ‘That some of the birds which 
have passed through my hands since 1880 may 
have been hybrids between the great grey 
shrike and Pallas’s grey shrike (Lantus major) 
is highly probable. A male bird which was 
shot some years ago about three miles from 
Keswick must be referred to this latter species. 
It is a fine adult, with a white breast almost 
clear of vermiculations and a very light rump ; 
there is only one white alar bar. 
48. Red-backed Shrike. Lanius collurio, Linn. 
A rare summer visitant, unknown in the 
west of the county. It has nested near 
Carlisle on two occasions, the last at Scotby in 
1884, when the eggs were brought to me for 
185 
