290 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



The Common liiNNET [Linota cannaUm). 

 Common throughout the district. " In some parts of Ayrshire 

 linnets are gregarious to some extent, even in the breeding season, 

 both on the sea-shore and in tlie pebbly beds of rivers and smaller 

 streams, which they frequent at certain hours, coming and going 

 together in flocks with apparent regularity." See " Birds of the 

 West of Scotland." 



The Mealy Eedpole {Linota canescens). 

 This species, occurring, as it does, frequently in Kirkcudbright- 

 shire, may also occur in our district in some numbers. At present, 

 however, we can only record with certainty a single example : it 

 was shot at Caperton, near Kilmarnock, in April, 1864, and is 

 now in the possession of Mr Eaton, bird preserver. We may 

 state that, in the same year, many specimens were taken in the 

 south of Scotland. 



The Lesser Eedpole (Linota linaria). 



This interesting and familiar bird is sparingly distributed in 

 localities suited to its habits. It breeds in both counties, and in 

 Eenfrewshire and Dumfriesshire. The habits of the lesser redj^ole 

 may be easily studied, as it is exceedingly tame, and heedless of 

 observation. 



The Mountain Linnet, or Twite {Linota montium). 



This, the "heather lintie" of most rural districts, is generally 

 distributed, frequenting chiefly the higher grounds beyond the 

 limits of high cultivation. It is a much more plentiful species in 

 the western counties than those of the east of Scotland. Mr Gray 

 has given an account of its hal)its, as observed by himself in the 

 Outer Hebrides, where it is extremely numerous. See " Birds of 

 the West of Scotland." 



The Bullfinch {Pyrrlmla vulgaris). 

 Is found in considerable numbers throughout Ayrshire. It is 

 nowhere more plentiful than in some of the glens within a few 

 miles of Girvan, where groups of five or six may be heard piping 

 from the alder thickets after the young are fledged. We have 

 observed it to be particularly common on the farm of Drummuck, 



