i84 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



often of great size and entirely composed of old males, occur 

 on the coast, and the stubble fields are on their arrival favourite 

 localities for them. When migrating, or shifting their ground, 

 they fly very close together like Knots and may thus be 

 distinguished from other small birds at a distance. On i8th 

 October 1882, an immense flock, extending over two hundred 

 yards in length, was observed at Spurn, and on the 12th and 

 13th of the same month there was a considerable arrival at 

 the Teesmouth in company with Greenfinches, Snow Buntings, 

 and Linnets ; a great " rush " was also recorded in October 

 1895, at the Humber and Tees estuaries. The Brambling 

 has been known to alight on vessels at sea, and as early as 

 1855 three were brought into Middlesbrough, having been 

 captured in an exhausted condition on board a ship, as it was 

 taking the Tees, on the evening of the 14th of October. 



The late Canon Atkinson wrote a circumstantial account 

 of the supposed nesting of this species at Baldersby Park, 

 near Thirsk, from particulars supplied by the late Hon. 

 Guy Dawnay, who forwarded him the nest, which was 

 constructed of moss, wool, and grass outwardly, and lined 

 with hair and fine feathers, containing the full complement 

 of eggs, and had been found on the side shoot of an oak 

 about six feet above the ground {Zool. 1864, p. 9210 ; Ibis, 

 1865 ; Field 23rd July 1864). 



Mr. Dresser, however, considers it extremely improbable 

 that the nest and eggs were those of the Brambling (" Birds 

 of Europe," Vol. iv., p. 16). 



A white example was in the late James Carter's possession 

 at Masham, obtained in 1881 ; and a pied specimen has been 

 seen at Harrogate. 



The vernacular names are not numerous. Mountain 

 Finch and Bramble Finch are in general use ; French Linnet 

 or French Lenny is used in the North Riding ; and Over-sea 

 Lenny at Loftus and Staithes. 



