I 4 2 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



was surprised to see one near the summit of one of the highest hills 

 in the centre of North Bute. The Rock Pipit was common on 

 most parts of the coast. 



PASSER DOMESTICUS (Z.). Needless to say, the House Sparrow 

 was abundant, not a habitation, the farthest farm in Glenmore in- 

 cluded, being without at least a few. I looked in vain, however, 

 for the Tree Sparrow. 



LIGURINUS CHLORIS (Z.) and FRINGILLA CCELEBS, Z. The Green- 

 finch and the Chaffinch were both abundant, large flocks frequenting 

 the stubble-fields and farm-yards. On 6th January a flock of not less 

 than a thousand, fully one-half of which were Greenfinches, was seen 

 feeding on a field close to Rothesay. 



FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA, Z. Two or three Bramblings were 

 daily observed feeding along with Chaffinches under a row of beech- 

 trees on the outskirts of Rothesay, and on gth January several 

 beautiful males were seen, in company with other Finches, Buntings, 

 and Larks, in the farm-yard at Lubas near the south end of the island. 

 No females were noticed. 



ACANTHIS CANNABINA (Z.), A. RUFESCENS (Vteill.}, and A. FLAVI- 



ROSTRIS (Z.). The Linnet, the Lesser Redpoll, and the Twite 

 were all present, but none of them unless, perhaps, the Redpoll, 

 which was frequently noticed among the birches could be reckoned 

 common ; indeed, the only Linnets I saw were in the hands of a 

 bird-catcher who had captured them at St. Ninian's Bay ; and only 

 once did I meet with a flock of Twites, namely on 3oth December 

 on the moor between Barone Hill and Loch Dhu. 



PYRRHULA EUROP^EA, Vieill. The Bullfinch was decidedly scarce, 

 but a few were heard and seen in the young fir plantations bordering 

 the moor road between Loch Ascog and Kingarth. 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA, Z. I did not myself notice the Crossbill, 

 but several members of my family, who know the bird well, saw one 

 in the pines on the heights behind Craigmore : its call first attracted 

 their attention. In the course of a conversation I had with a game- 

 keeper in North Bute he informed me he had seen one in the end 

 of November. The species breeds, I believe, in the neighbouring 

 island of Arran, where, in the woods at Brodick Castle, I saw a pair 

 in April of the present year. 



EMBERIZA MILIARIA, Z., E. CITRINELLA, Z., and E. SCHCENICLUS, 

 Z. Flocks of Corn Buntings were observed about several of the 

 stack-yards in the vicinity of St. Ninian's Bay : at one farm Meikle 

 Kilmory I counted upwards of fifty. The Yellow Hammer, on the 

 other hand, was generally distributed and decidedly more numerous, 

 though flocking less, than its relative ; while the Reed Bunting was 

 represented by merely a solitary example, or at most a pair, here 

 and there. 



