634 Birds in the Vicinity of Tooting, Surrey, 



coarse song of the present species, too, is not heard till then. 

 Both sexes occur plentifully in the same flock. 



The Common, or White-winged, Chaffinch is abundant. 

 Many of both sexes remain all the year about human habi- 

 tations ; and, though flocks are occasionally met with in 

 winter, consisting wholly of females, it is not unusual to ob- 

 serve both sexes mingling in flight with yellow and reed bun- 

 tings, green grosbeaks, and other of the larger jFVingillidae. 



The Haw Grosbeak is rare ; but breeds sparingly in several 

 localities. I have obtained the young from the vicinity of 

 Tooting Common. Richmond Park is rather a favourite 

 situation ; but the species is less common than in Kent. It is 

 remarkably shy during the summer months. I have known 

 an instance of its nidificating two seasons following upon the 

 same bough of a tree ; and a similar instance is recorded in 

 the Field Naturalist's Magazine. This summer I raised a 

 young one from the nest, which has become a handsome and 

 healthy bird. It is easily kept, in captivity, on the seeds usually 

 given to i^ringillidae. 



The Green Grosbeak is here plentiful, as in most other parts 

 of the kingdom. 



The Sofig Linnet arrives in large flocks every autumn ; but 

 is somewhat rare in the summer months, owing to the numbers 

 which are annually captured by the bird-catchers, and the 

 avidity, also, with which the nest is sought for : it would other- 

 wise be very common throughout the year. 



The Mountain Linnet is a regular winter visitant, by no 

 means rare. Much as I have seen of this species, I have 

 never heard from it any note which could be construed into 

 twite, represented as its ordinary call. Its song is very in- 

 ferior to that of the preceding. 



Rose Linnet, or Lesser Redpole. This pretty little bird has 

 hardly ever been known to breed in the southern counties ; 

 but arrives in vast numbers every autumn. It is extremely 

 common in the winter months. 



The Mealy Linnet (Linaria canescens Gould) is a rare 

 and very irregular winter visitant. A very few were taken 

 last winter, of which I obtained one, and kept it for several 

 months in confinement. Its song differs from that of the 

 little rose linnet; but its chirp and call-notes are extremely 

 similar. 



The Siskin Goldjinch appears regularly every winter, some- 

 times in very considerable flights. I have known a young one 

 to be taken in nestling plumage; wherefore I infer that it was 

 bred not very far off. This bird, indeed, appears to breed 



