208 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



catchers. Mr. Jas. Wylie, gamekeeper, Carmichael, has kindly 

 informed me that he saw a small flock of about a dozen in 

 Carmichael Policies during cold weather at end of January last. 

 An individual was seen near Castlemains, Douglas, in August 

 this year (Mr. A. Telfer). Used to be fairly common at Chapel, 

 Braidwood, but now very rare, and none seen for two or three 

 years (Mr. D. Pringle). 



SISKIN, Chrysomitris spinus (L.) Gray remarks (" B.W. S.") : " Thirty 

 years ago" (i.e. about 1841) "this was a well-known winter 

 visitant in some parts of Lanarkshire, but from all I can learn 

 it is much less common, or at least not so steady in its times 

 of appearance." Have never seen it in the parish. Sometimes 

 it is seen by Mr. D. Pringle. 



HOUSE SPARROW, Passer domes ficus(L.) Veryabundant. Individuals 

 speckled with white are not uncommon. This season during 

 month of July a specimen with almost black plumage frequented 

 the neighbourhood of Hyndford Bridge, 



TREE SPARROW, Passer montanus (L.) During cold weather in 

 January last this species appeared in the parish. I obtained 

 one for identification on January 26 near the Manse, and 

 some days afterwards noticed several in hedgerow near Cross- 

 ridge. 



CHAFFINCH, Fringilla ccelebs, L., local name " Shelfa."- Resident 

 and abundant. 



BRAMBLING, Fringilla montifringilla, L., local name " Cock of the 

 North."- Winter visitant. Last season was markedly in evidence 

 during January. 



LINNET, Acanthis cannabina (L.), local name "Whin Lintie."- Is 

 now very scarce in the parish, though referred to as being very 

 common about thirty years ago. Noted as bird of parish in 

 1838 ("S. A.") under name of Brown Linnet. 



LESSER REDPOLL, Acanthis rufescens (Vieillot). " Common around 

 Biggar"in 1835 ("S. A.") Gray (" B. W. S.") notes this bird as 

 sparingly distributed in parts of Lanarkshire, excepting around 

 Glasgow. Mr. A. Telfer knows the species around Douglas, 

 and Mr. D. Pringle reports it as not very plentiful in his district. 

 Not common in the parish, but young birds appear in small 

 numbers towards autumn. 



TWITE, Acanthis flavirostris (L.), local name " Heather Lintie."- 

 Appears regularly in flocks in autumn, and feeds on the seed 

 of ragweed. Towards end of December it is less in evidence, 

 again appearing in March in immense flocks which may be 

 heard uttering their twittering song in stormy weather from the 

 shelter of a stone dyke. Gray (" B. W. S.") says it nests in the 



