A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE 



however, in his paper ' On the Occasional 

 Appearance in England of the Crested Tit,' 



{Zool. I? 

 above. 



3o, p. 21 1) gives the locality as 



43. Nuthatch. Sitta ceesia. Wolf. 

 Resident in wooded districts throughout 



the county. It is nowhere numerous, but is 

 occasionally seen, especially in the autumn 

 and winter months. Mr. Elliot considers 

 that it is becoming increasingly common in 

 the Kingsbridge district. 



44. Wren. Troglodytes parvulus, K. L. 



Koch. 

 Locally, Jinty (E. Devon), Cuddy Vran (W. 



Devon), Cutty, Kitty Tope, Titty Todger, 



Tidley Tope, Cracky and Crackil (N. 



Devon). 

 Resident and generally distributed. There 

 is a large influx to the southern part of the 

 county in October, at which time also wrens 

 are seen migrating at the Eddystone Light- 

 house. In winter it is often very numerous 

 amongst sedges in marshy places. A white 

 specimen was in the collection of Mr. J. 

 Comyns. 



45. Tree-Creeper. Certhia familiaris, Linn. 

 Locally, Climb-tree, Tree-Climber, Hood- 

 pecker. 



Resident and tolerably numerous in wooded 

 districts throughout the county. 



46. Pied Wagtail. Motacilla lugubris, Tem- 



minck. 



Locally, Dish or Ditch-washer, Lady White 

 Dishes. 



Resident, generally distributed and abun- 

 dant. The pied wagtail is seen throughout 

 the year, but is especially numerous in spring 

 and autumn. At the latter season there is a 

 great influx of birds of the year, and large 

 flocks are observed arriving on the north 

 coast. It also congregates in great numbers 

 with grey and yellow wagtails in August and 

 September in the neighbourhood of the sea, 

 and immense numbers roost where there are 

 reed-beds in the estuaries of the larger rivers, 

 and on the leys along the south coast. Num- 

 bers pass the Eddystone Lighthouse in October 

 going south. The late Mr. Henry Nicholls 

 of Kingsbridge had a pure white specimen. 



47. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, Linn. 

 A summer migrant arriving in March and 



April, when it may be frequently seen singly 

 or in small flocks in the neighbourhood of the 

 sea coasts. It has been observed in consider- 

 able numbers early in September on the south 



coast previous to its departure for the con- 

 tinent. Mr. Eagle Clarke obtained young 

 birds in their winter plumage at the Eddystone 

 Lighthouse on the nights of 13 and 14 

 October 1901. There is reason to believe 

 that this wagtail has bred both in the north 

 and south of the county, 



48. Grey Wagtail. Motacilla melanope, Pallas 

 Resident and common. Most numerous 



on the low lands in winter, though it breeds 

 throughout the county. In summer it is very 

 commonly seen by the sides of the moorland 

 streams. It places its nest under the arches 

 of small bridges or in holes in stone walls by 

 the sides of mill-dams, etc. The cuckoo has 

 been observed to deposit its eggs in the nest 

 of this wagtail near Honiton by Mr. J. R. 

 Earle, and at Kingsbridge by Mr. Elliot. 



49. Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla 



flava, Linn. 

 A casual visitor of rare occurrence. A 

 few examples have been obtained in south- 

 western Devon, near Plymouth and Kings- 

 bridge, generally in the month of May. The 

 late Mr. J. Gatcombe however saw a pair 

 close to Plymouth in August 1874. 



50. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla raii (Bona- 



parte) 

 A summer migrant, but breeds rarely in 

 Devon. Generally seen singly or in small 

 parties in April and early in May, principally 

 in the extreme south-western part of the 

 county. In autumn it congregates in num- 

 bers mixed with other kinds of wagtails all 

 along the south coast, and many were seen 

 passing the Eddystone Lighthouse at the end 

 of September 1901 by Mr. E. Clarke. It 

 was observed breeding at Plymouth by Mr. 

 Gatcombe ; at Tor Point by Mr. T. R. A. 

 Briggs ; and in Huish Marshes by Mr. Elliot. 

 It is also reported to breed occasionally on 

 Lundy Island. 



51. Meadow-Pipit. Anthus pratensis (Linn.) 

 Locally, Mountain Lark, Tit Lark, Titty Lark. 



Resident, generally distributed, and very 

 abundant on heaths, moors and marsh lands. 

 There is a great immigration in autumn, and 

 large flocks congregate in the neighbourhood 

 of Plymouth about the beginning of Septem- 

 ber, remaining only a few days. Vast num- 

 bers were observed on emigration in the early 

 mornings on sixteen days in October 1901 

 by Mr. Eagle Clarke at the Eddystone Light- 

 house, passing south. The cuckoo is particu- 

 larly partial to the nest of this bird for deposit- 

 ing its eggs. 



302 



