A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 42. Blue Tit. Parui ceeruleus, Linn. Very common throughout the year and destructive to fruit trees in the spring. 43. Nuthatch. Sitta casia, Wolf. Though a fairly common species it is not nearly so abundant as in the neighbouring counties of Surrey and Kent. 44. Wren. Trog/odytes parvu/us, K. L. Koch. Abundant everywhere. 45. Tree-Creeper. Certhia familiaris, Linn. Fairly common throughout the year, and associating in the winter with flocks of tits. 46. Wall-Creeper. T'ichodroma muraria (Linn.) Mr. Ruskin Butterfield has recorded an adult in breeding plumage which was shot some years ago near Winchelsea by Mr. W. Mitchell {Zoologist, 1896, p. 302). The specimen is now in the possession of Canon Tristram. 47. Pied Wagtail. Motacilla luguhrh, Tem- minck. A few remain throughout the year, but the greater number return to us in February and March, many of the males being then in their full breeding plumage. 48. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, Linn. White wagtails appear to stop for a few days in the spring on their northward migra- tion. They come about the second week in April and then probably follow the south coast of England eastwards before turning northward to Scandinavia and Iceland, as no specimens have been taken in Sussex north of the South Downs. Mr. Wells states that they have bred in Sussex. 49. Grey Wagtail. Motacilla melanope, Pallas. A scarce though regular winter visitor. As there are few clear pebbly streams in Sussex such as the species love they do not stop to nest with us. I have noticed every winter one or more grey wagtails frequent a roadside ditch close to the village of RofFey. 50. Blue-headed Wagtail. Motacilla flava, Linn. A scarce though regular spring visitor to the of goldfinches found inhabiting England, France, Algeria, Germany, Russia, China and Siberia, all and every one differing slightly and confined to small areas except when on migration. Personally I cannot see that the difference between this very slight local form and other British marsh-tits is sufHcient to entitle it to a separate name. sea coast. Mr. Booth was of opinion that the blue-headed wagtail had nested on several occasions in Sussex. Certainly this species is occasionally seen throughout the summer. Mr. Butterfield informs me that a nest of this species with both parent birds were recently taken near Winchelsea by Mr. G. Bristow.' 51. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla raii (Bona- parte). A somewhat scarce summer visitor. 52. Tree-Pipit. Anthus irivialis (Linn.) A common summer visitor, breeding throughout the county. 53. Meadow-Pipit. Jnthus pratensis (Linn.). More numerous in the autumn and spring. but breeding in fair numbers wherever open uncultivated land is to be found. 54. Red -throated Pipit. Anthus cervinus (Pallas). Mr. J. H. Gurney recorded the first instance of the capture of this pipit in Sussex (Zoologist, 1884, p. 192). It was caught near Brighton on March 13, 1884, and afterwards passed into the collection of Mr. Monk of Lewes. A second example, in winter plum- age, was shot near St. Leonards on November 13, 1895, and examined by Mr. R. Butter- field. It was exhibited by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe at a meeting of the British Ornitholo- gists' Club on December 30 of that year. 55. Tawny Pipit. Anthus campestris (Linn.) Nearly all the instances of the occurrence of this rare pipit have taken place near Brighton. The first was captured near Shoreham on August 15, 1858, and another at Rottingdean in 1862. These two speci- mens were examined by Mr. Rowley, who identified them as Anthus campestris and he recorded them in the Ibis, 1863. Several others have been taken near Brighton since then, and have passed through the hands of Mr. Swaysland and Mr. Pratt. 56. Richard's Pipit. Anthus richardi, VieiWot. One Sunday morning in the month of April, 1898, 1 saw a bird near the lodge gates of Warnham Court which I feel certain not only on account of its size but by its loud note was a bird of this species. It remained sitting quietly on the top of an oak paling till 1 Mr. H. E. Dresser, who has examined these specimens, is of opinion that they come nearest to the sub-species Motacilla beema (Sykes). There is also a specimen, probably referable to the same form, in the Tring Museum, shot near Brighton. 278
