182 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



on i6th May 1887 ; in its ovary were two eggs, one of which 

 had the shell partly formed and the yolk perfect {Ibis, 1888, 

 p. 228). Other varieties in plumage, albino, white, pied, 

 and cinnamon coloured, have been met with, and Tunstall 

 mentioned a light coloured specimen given to him " by the Hon. 

 Fred Vane of Sellaby, brother of Lord Darlington, taken in 

 this neighbourhood [Wycliffe-on-Tees]. It had much white, 

 and some fine yellow feathers on the back and shoulders. 

 If it had not been taken in a wild state, should have almost 

 judged it to have been bred between a Chaffinch and a jonquil 

 Canary Bird." (Tunst. MS., p. 67.) 



Variations from the ordinary type of eggs, entirely of a 

 light blue colour, like those of the Pied Flycatcher, are not 

 uncommon ; and the late Canon Atkinson mentioned a clutch 

 of very pale buff, slightly tinged with vinous colour ("Moor- 

 land Parish," p. 342). 



Its local names are numerous. Those in general use are 

 Spink, White Linnet, Spinky, and Bullspink ; Pink is used 

 in the Nidd valley ; Bully or Bullie in the North Riding 

 and the Nidd valley ; Shilfa, Sheelfa, or Sheelie, Wet Bird, 

 and Scobby or Scobbie in the North Riding ; Weetie in central 

 Yorkshire to the coast ; Wintie in the East Riding ; Chaffy 

 in Cleveland ; and French Linnet and Fleck Linnet in southern 

 Holderness ; whilst Tunstall called it Flaxfinch. 



BRAMBLING. 

 Fring-illa montifringilla (/>.). 



Regular winter visitant, but varj-ing in numbers. 



The earliest reliable notice of this species in Yorkshire is 

 contained in Atkinson's " Compendium of British Ornithology," 

 1820, p. 68, where it is stated to be " pretty common in 

 Yorkshire." 



