THE BIRDS OF RENFREWSHIRE 245 



FRINGILLID/E. 



The *Greenfinch is abundant. The *Golufinch, from being 

 very scarce, is now sHghtly on the increase, a few pairs nesting 

 annually. The *Siskin is a fairly regular visitor from autumn till 

 spring, and it is reported to have nested at Nether Pollok one 

 season, nearly twenty-five years ago. The *House-sparrow is too 

 abundant, but of its more interesting cousin the Tree-sparrow we 

 have only one record— two birds seen near Clarkston on 30th July 

 1 91 3 by Mr Hugh Wilson, who knows the bird well. The 

 *Chaffinch is common. The Brambling is an erratic winter 

 visitor, sometimes in large numbers. Twenty birds spent the whole 

 of January 1914 in one small wood. The *Linnet occurs in some 

 numbers in certain localities every autumn, but as a nesting species 

 it is scarce. The Mealy Redpoll is an uncertain winter visitor, 

 mostly in small numbers, though it was not uncommon in the winter 

 of 1910-11. The *Lesser Redpoll is well distributed, and in 

 some districts common. The *Twite occurs in flocks in winter, 

 while a few pairs nest in the uplands. Away from stiff, clayey soils, 

 the *BuLLFiNCH is not uncommon. According to the late Morris 

 Young, the Common Crossbill was " once not rare near Houston," 

 but, beyond this statement, an example of the variety known as the 

 Parrot Crossbill, killed at Wemyss Bay in 1862 (Gray), and a 

 wandering party seen near Hangingshaw about 1891 (reported to 

 Mr John Paterson), are the only other occurrences known to us. 

 The *CoRN-BUNTiNG on certain light soils, the *Yellow Bunting 

 in the agricultural districts, and the *Reed-bunting about still 

 waters and damp situations, are all well known. The Snow- 

 bunting is an uncertain winter visitor, sometimes in considerable 

 flocks. 



StURNID/E. 



The *Starling is abundant everywhere. 



CORVID/E. 



There are few records of the *Jay during the past half-century, 

 whatever its status may have been at an earlier period. One was 

 taken in Stonebyres Wood, Eaglesham, and another at Nether 

 Pollok some forty years ago. In 1902 a third example was shot at 

 Caldwell, where the species had actually nested the previous year. 

 Another bird was seen near Bridge of Weir on 15th April 1912. In 

 spite of a never-ceasing persecution the *Magpie is still fairly 

 numerous, while the *Jackdaw, a more impudent, if not a greater 



