BIRDS 



52. Tree-Pipit. Anthus trivialis (Linn.) 



A summer migrant common throughout 

 the county in wooded districts. Arrives 

 about the middle of April and remains up to 

 the end of September, or even far into 

 October. 



53. Richard's Pipit. Anthus richardi, Vieillot. 

 A casual visitor of occasional occurrence, 



both in the north and south of the county, 

 generally during the winter months. Mr. J. 

 Gatcombe met with nine examples near Ply- 

 mouth between 1841 and 1878, and three 

 were obtained on Braunton Burrows by Mr. 

 G. F. Mathew, R.N., in 1864 and 1869. 



54. Water-Pipit. Anthus sp'tpoletta (Linn.) 

 An accidental visitor in early spring of 



very rare occurrence. The late Mr. J. Gat- 

 combe was positive that he saw a pipit of this 

 species near Plymouth on 8 March 1873 

 {Zool. 1873, p. 3062), and one was seen by 

 the writer on 18 March 1883, on the quay 

 at Exeter. The bird was rather tame, though 

 restless, and allowed close approach. South- 

 easterly winds had prevailed for a fortnight 

 previously. 



55. Rock-Pipit. Anthus obscurus (Latham) 

 Locally, Rock Lark, Sand Lark. 



Resident, and common all along the coasts, 

 especially in autumn, when large flocks arrive 

 on passage southwards. The Scandinavian 

 variety rupestris is sometimes seen on the cliffs 

 of the south coast in spring. 



56. Golden Oriole. Oriolus galbula, Linn. 

 A casual visitor in spring and summer of 



not very infrequent occurrence, usually in the 

 months of April and May, especially in the 

 South Hams. In July 1887 the Rev. H. 

 Haden observed a single bird in an orchard at 

 Stokenham, and the late Rev. Dr. Kerr saw 

 one in August and September 1890, close to 

 the rectory at St. Mary Clyst. It is known 

 to have bred in the grounds of Pilton Abbey 

 near Barnstaple {Naturalist, 1866, p. 358). 

 The last occasion on which a specimen of 

 this bird was actually obtained in Devon was 

 early in May 1900, when a female flew 

 against the window of a house at Exmouth, 

 and was picked up in a dying state. When 

 the body was examined by the bird-stuiFer 

 who mounted the specimen, she was found to 

 contain eight well-developed eggs. Mr. 

 Arnold Taylor, writing to Knowledge for Sep- 

 tember 1900, states that at least one pair had 

 been seen in Devonshire at intervals for 

 several years in June and July. 



57. Great Grey Shrike. Lan'tus excubitor, 



Linn. 

 An occasional autumn and winter visitor. 

 A few records of its occurrence in spring and 

 summer may perhaps apply to the next species 

 to be enumerated. About twenty specimens 

 have been recorded from south Devon and 

 seven from north Devon. 



58. Lesser Grey Shrike. Lanius minor, J. F. 



Gmelin. 

 An accidental visitor of extremely rare 

 occurrence. An immature example was 

 obtained near Plymouth, 23 September 1876. 

 It was taken alive by a bird-catcher, and 

 passed into the hands of a bird-stuffer in whose 

 possession it was recognized by the late Mr. 

 J. Gatcombe. A bird probably of this species 

 was seen by Mr. F. C. Shaw near Budleigh 

 Salterton, 22 July 1894. It was catching 

 and devouring humble bees that flew past its 

 perch on a burnt stump of gorse. 



59. Red-backed Shrike. Lanius collurio, Linn. 

 Locally, Butcher Bird. 



A summer migrant, not very numerous but 

 frequently met with in the neighbourhood of 

 the sea-coast, both in the north and south of 

 the county. It arrives early in May and 

 usually departs about the middle of August. 

 Its nest and eggs are frequently obtained, 

 especially on the north coast. 



60. Woodchat. Lanius pomeranus, Sparrman. 

 An accidental visitor to the south coast of 



very rare occurrence. A female is said to 

 have been captured by means of birdlime in 

 the autumn of 1866 at Plymouth, and was 

 detected by the late Mr. J. Gatcombe in a 

 bird-stuflfer's shop. A male in full adult 

 plumage was seen at Lyme Regis on the 

 eastern border of Devon, 22 June 1876. 

 Mr. E. A. S. Elliot shot a young female near 

 Bantham, at the mouth of the river Avon, 

 on 2 September 1892. Two other records 

 of its occurrence, one at Plymouth and the 

 other near Kingsbridge, are doubtful. 



6 1 . Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus, Linn. 



A casual visitor during the winter months, 

 appearing at long intervals of time. Examples 

 were obtained in 1790 near Totnes and Ash- 

 burton, and it has occurred near Plymouth. 

 One was shot near Kingkerswell on 20 Janu- 

 ary 1829, and shortly afterwards a male at 

 Ashburton. None seem to have occurred in 

 Devonshire since January 1850, when a 

 male was obtained in the parish of Blackaw- 

 ton near Dartmouth, and two or three were 

 shot near Exeter and Crediton. 



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