their comparative Numbers and Distribution. 633 



remarkable for the loose hold of its feathers, which come out 

 easier, when the bird is handled, than those of any other 

 species I know of: this circumstance is, doubtless, connected 

 with its easy moulting. It is needless to point out the pecu- 

 liarities of its bill and feet, and of its general formation. 

 The species should be seen alive, together with one or more 

 of its congeners, before half the diversity can be appreciated. 



The Wood-lark is here very rare. A few are taken by the 

 bird-catchers at flight time ; but the species never breeds in 

 this part of Surrey. I do not remember to have heard it sing 

 in this neighbourhood. 



The Common Field-lark is abundant. 



The Snow/lake very rarely occurs so far to the south. A 

 small flock of them was taken by a bird-catcher the winter 

 before last, one of which is still alive in my possession. It is 

 a hardy bird in confinement, and passes most of its time on a 

 perch. 



The Corn Bunting is moderately plentiful : I think more so 

 upon the chalk. 



The Yellow Bunting is much more abundant. 



The Cirl Bunting is extremely rare, and local. A specimen 

 is occasionally taken in the nets during the winter months. 

 Further into the county, it occurs plentifully in one or two 

 scattered isolated localities. 



The Reed Bunting is rather a common species. 



The House Sparrow is, of course, abundant. 



The Tree Sparrow appears in autumn, in moderate flocks, 

 but rarely enters the farm-yards. As a specimen was shot, 

 last July, near this place, I conclude that a very few breed 

 in the neighbourhood. Has any reader seen the young of 

 this species? And does it not resemble in plumage the female 

 house sparrow ? 



The Northern Chaffinch, or Brambling, arrives about Octo- 

 ber, and departs in April. It is not very common ; but ap- 

 pears less so from its taciturnity. The winter edgings to its 

 feathers are not nearly so quickly shed as those of the com- 

 mon chaffinch ; nor does the bill become blue till late in April. 

 In the middle of that month, I have watched a flock of them, 

 by means of a glass, all of which had the bill quite yellow, 

 though the plumage had assumed its summer aspect. As in 

 the redwing and fieldfare thrushes, the internal indications 

 of the approach of the breeding season are not manifested 

 so soon by several weeks as in the resident species. The 

 change of colour in the bill accompanies these developements ; 

 whereupon the migratory impulse is also soon induced. The 



Vol. IX.— No. 68. 3 a 



