108 THE BIRDS OF COOKHAM AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
the latter drew his attention to the note of a bird on one of the 
topmost branches, remarking that he did not believe the bird 
could be a Yellow-Ammer. Briggs accordingly came the next 
morning with his gun, and shot the bird ; but having procured it 
he was ata loss to tell what it was, and described it to Mr. 
Gould as a hybrid between a Yellow-Ammer and Reed Bunting. 
The latter gentleman, however, told him there could not be such 
a thing, and shortly after Briggs found out the species from seeing 
one of Mr. Gould’s figures in the Birds of Great Britain. After 
that he took great interest in the Cirl Bunting and during his 
residence at Formosa he succeeded in procuring several specimens, 
one of which, a fine male now graces my private collection. It 
always surprised me how Briggs could distinguish even at a con- 
siderable distance the note of the Cirl Bunting from that of a 
Yellow-Ammer, but he was always right, and after having 
triumphantly proved the fact, he would recount how he had 
puzzled persons by declaring the bird they heard not to 
be a Yellow-Ammer, and then proving the fact in spite 
of their scepticism, by shooting the bird in the act of singing. 
The Cirl Buntings obtained at Cookham are very fine, as Mr. 
Gould remarks (/.c.). I sometimes get a specimen from Hamp- 
stead, and near Reigate, they are by no means uncommon. 
Emberiza scheeniclus. The Reed Bunting. 
A common bird, associating in flocks in the winter. 
Sub-fam. FRINGILLINZ. 
Genus FRINGILLA. 
Fringilla coelebs. The Chaffinch. 
A common resident, breeding plentifully in the neighbourhood. 
T have seen a large series of eggs collected at Hampstead this 
year, and exhibiting every variation in the colour of the eggs 
from nearly pure white to deep blue or chocolate brown spotted. 
Fringilla montifringilla. The Brambling. 
The Brambling is extremely numerous in winter, and large 
flocks may be seen flying in the early morning from Cliefden 
Woods to the beech trees in Quarry Wood near Marlow, and 
returning again in the evening. As they generally fly high in 
