Ornithology of the Var S^c. 381 



deal of valuable information ; the former is probably a bird 

 which is increasing. 



Chaffinch. Fringilla Calebs. 



F. Calebs, Carduelis elegans, and Ligurhms chloris are all 

 resident, and the first two very common, many of them being 

 perhaps the same individuals which at another time of year 

 enliven our own groves at home. Clarke only saw F. ccelebs 

 once. 



Linnet. Linota caimabitia. 



L. cannabina was less abundant^ and was not seen asso- 

 ciating with Sermus hortulanus as in some countries. 



Siskin. Carduelis spinus. 



C. spinus was only seen in cages ; Pyrrhula europcea and 

 Coccothraustes vulgaris I give on the authority of English 

 friends who know them. Jaubert's '' Bouvreuil incertain" 

 w as probably a young Pyrrhula erythrina, and his '^ Bouv- 

 reuil ponceau " perhaps an erythrism of P. europcea. 



Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus. 



No doubt this species is highly migratory^ but why Jaubert 

 should think P. domesticus to be so is not clear ; here, as 

 everywhere else, it is essentially a parasite on man. I tried 

 very hard to detect P. italia, the presence of which has 

 been noted by Jaubert and I'Abbe Joseran, but doubted by 

 Mr. Dresser. If a census of the birds of the Var could be 

 taken, the Sparrow would probably come out at the head of 

 the poll, as it unquestionably would do in England, being, 

 moreover, the most destructive species in every grain-pro- 

 ducing Department of France. 



Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra. 



Jaubert says the " Bec-touar " or " Pesso-pigno " (pro- 

 vincial names) is occasionally very abundant, as I learn was 

 the case a few years ago at St. Tropez, when the visitors were 

 very unwelcome, for they attacked the almond crop and did 

 no little harm. Generally they are rare, but Lord Lilford 

 met with a few near Toulon in 1873. Various years in 

 which Crossbills were numerous in the South of France — 



