INSESSORES. 79 



In May, 1863, while staying at Newcastle-upon- 

 Tyne, I took the opportunity of visiting the museum 

 there, and, amongst other rarities, I noticed an 

 Ortolan Bunting, labelled as follows : " Green- 

 headed Bunting, Emberiza Tunstalli, LatJi. and 

 Mont. Emberiza Chlorocephala, Gmel. From the 

 Allan Museum. This was the specimen from which 

 the bird was first described as a species. It tvas 

 caught near London.'^ This same specimen is 

 figured in Brown's ' Illustrations of Zoology.' 



Family Fringillid^. 



Chaffinch, Fr'mgilla coelebs. Common resident, 

 occasionally subject to variety. Although I have 

 frequently observed this species at all times of }• ear, 

 I have never been able to note the separation of the 

 sexes in winter, of which Gilbert White speaks. 



On the 29th April, 1801, I took a nest of the 

 Chaffinch, containing three eggs of a -psle blue 

 colour, without spots, the blue being of about the 

 same tint as in the Wheatear's egg. The nest, 

 placed in a thorn-bush, was much the same as usual, 

 except that, instead of the usual dark-coloured 

 horsehair for lining, in this case it was white, and 

 there was more white wool used in the nest than is 

 generally seen. 



On the 12th May, 1862, I had a similar nest of 

 the Chaffinch brought me, containing three eggs of 



