their comparative Numbers and Distribution. 635 



sparingly in many parts of the country. In spring, they as- 

 sume the nuptial aspect before they leave these parts. 



The Common, or Garden, Goldfinch is here a rare bird in 

 summer ; in consequence of their being so much thinned by 

 the bird-catchers. Immense flights of them, however, arrive 

 every autumn ; and, were their enemies to suspend operations 

 for a single season, the species would be very numerous in 

 this part of the country. 



The Crossbill occurred rather plentifully last year, in many, 

 if not most, parts of England, A few were taken in this neigh- 

 bourhood, and one or two have been met with this summer. 

 I obtained a young male alive, in immature plumage : this 

 closely resembled that of the hen siskin goldfinch and rose 

 linnet, even to all the minutiae of the markings ; as the pale 

 mesial streak upon the back, the dusky chin, &c. It is much 

 more nearly allied to these birds than is commonly supposed, 

 and is, in fact, but a modification of the siskin form, of a stouter 

 build. Its call-note, and the peculiar swing of the body ac- 

 companying this, reminded one forcibly of Carduelis, and there 

 are a variety of other particulars in close accordance. All 

 the males assume red plumage at the autumn moult, contrary 

 to what has been asserted; the young of the year being rather 

 less bright than the older birds. After breeding, I suspect, 

 this fades into an orange tint ; and, as the young birds change 

 their _dress earlier in the season than their parents, these are, 

 towards the end of summer, of a bright red ; whilst the adults 

 continue of a dull buff orange. Hence has arisen the pre- 

 valent error, that the latter is the mature fixed livery. 



The Bullfinch is not of very common occurrence here, from 

 the same causes which arrest the multiplication of other cage 

 favourites. 



Neither is the Starling a very abundant species, a large 

 proportion of them being annually captured by the bird- 

 catchers. 



The Jay, too, is so much sought after by stuffers, on the 

 one hand, and by gamekeepers on the other, that, were it not 

 for the extreme shyness and cunning of the species, it would 

 have been exterminated long ago in these parts. 



The same applies to the Magpie. Both of these may be 

 considered rare in this neighbourhood. 



The Jackdaw is, for the most part, rather thinly distributed, 

 except in a few localities here and there. Individuals more 

 or less marked with white are not very uncommon. 



The Crow is quite as plentiful as could be expected ; and 

 we hear of its mischievous doings in the farm-yard every 



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