170 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



the whitethorn by preference. We have also found 

 many nests of this Finch placed at high elevations 

 in elm-trees, especially about the farm lands. Occa- 

 sionally a Siskin may be remarked in company with 

 Redpoles on the stubbles and wild weed-grown pas- 

 tures, but as a rule this engaging little species con- 

 fines itself to the trees along the river-side during its 

 winter sojourn in Yorkshire, and there we shall meet 

 with it in the following chapter. Some of these 

 Finches, those that breed within the limits of farm 

 and garden, betake themselves to the fields of mow- 

 ing grass in June, the House Sparrow especially; 

 and then when the hay is cut or the wheat and oats 

 are sufficiently forward they pass on to the corn- 

 fields to renew their depredations. 



From the Finches to the Buntings is not a very 

 great stride in avine classification, and the latter 

 birds are common enough upon the farm. That is 

 to say, a single species only, during summer, namely, 

 the Yellow Bunting. The Cirl Bunting is absent 

 from the northern shires, and the Common Bunting 

 is far more local than his name suggests, occurring 

 most frequently in the maritime localities. In winter 

 we have the Snow Buntings in localized flocks upon 

 the fields, very capricious in their appearance, and 

 sometimes not being seen for several years in succes- 

 sion. We can recall a very large flock of these 

 Buntings that frequented some pasture fields at End- 



