422 Major W. R. ThoiDpson on the [Ibis, 



Aklernoy, and it disappeared from the cliffs o£ the Dorset 

 coast opposite not many years later. I have been unable to 

 obtain any record of its having been seen here by the " oldest 

 inhabitant," although the bird is one not difficult to describe. 

 However, we may yet hope to record Choughs in Alderney, 

 as I see in one of our latest works — ' A Practical Handbook 

 of British Birds ' — the Channel Islands are given as a 

 habitat for it, and in ' British Birds ' for February 1920, 

 one is recorded by Mr, H. B. Baillie as having been seen by 

 him in Guernsey on the 22nd of April, 1919. 



Sturnus vulgaris. Tlie Starling. 



A common resident, ))ut less common in summer than 

 winter, when their number is largely increased by arrivals 

 from overseas. 



Chloris chloris. The Greenfinch. 



This bird is a resident in small numbers and breeds here, 

 but a large proportion of the residents a|)pear to leave the 

 island for the purpose of breeding, owing probably to the 

 limited number of suitable hedgerows, returning again in 

 July and the rest of tlie summer and wintering here. Its 

 numbers are also temporarily increased in spring and 

 autumn l)y birds of passage. It is more common some 

 years than others. 



Coccothraustes coccothraustes. The Hawfinch. 



Mr. Tourgis, of Alderney, has in his possession a stuffed 

 specimen, which was shot on the island by Mr. R. Herival. 



Mr. Cecil Smith, writing in 1879, states : '■ The bird- 

 stuffer and carpenter in Alderney had one spread out on a 

 board and hung up behind his door, which had been shot by 

 his friend who shot the Greenland Falcon, in the winter of 

 1876-1877, somewhere about Christmas." 



Carduelis carduelis britannica. The British Goldfinch. 



The bird is resident in small numbers and breeds here. As 

 a \nvd of passage it occurs in fair numbers in spring and 

 autumn. 



