CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK. 77 



a female at her house at Pakenham, which for some 

 years appeared regularly about April 10 at a window to be 

 fed ; one year she came about ten days later, reappearing 

 there as familiarly as ever. Compare Selby's observation 

 that in Northumberland few females were seen between 

 November and the return of spring, while immense flocks 

 of males remained during the winter. (Selby III Brit. Orn. 

 i. 304, see also Stev. B. of N. i. 201). 



Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla, L. 



S. and W. Cat. 26. A winter bird of passage ; some- 

 times appears in very large flocks. — Spald. List, xxxvi. 

 Catalogued only. 



Districts all. Found in great numbers at Yarmouth 

 Jan. 1880 (H. Stevenson), Aldeburgh, March 1865 (Hele), 

 Woodbridge, Dec. 1869 (E. C. Moor), Bramford (Haward), 

 Sudbury in the winter of 1879-80 (Simmons), Gazeley 

 (Tearle), Tostock (Tuck), Drinkstone (Hawkins). Single 

 examples or small numbers have been met with from time 

 to time at a great many other places. A nest with four 

 eggs was sent from Suffolk to Meyer (///. Br. B. iii., 89, 

 Ed. 1857), and another was believed to have been built on 

 Lord liendlesham's estate, but it could not be discovered 

 (Lord Eendlesham in litt.). The evidence of its breeding 

 seems to require confirmation, (see Newton's Yarrell ii., 77 j 

 also Hewitson, Eggs Brit. Birds, 194, 3rd Ed. 1853, where 

 there is an account of eggs laid June 1839 in Mr. 

 Dash wood's aviary at Beccles). 



Months. — January, February, March, April,* October, 

 November, December. 



Although not met with every year in all parts of the 

 county, this can scarcely be considered an uncommon bird, 

 as it occasionally appears, more especially in the winter, in 

 large flocks. It is especially partial to beech mast. 



* I received a Brambling on April 9 Newton's Yarrell u. s.). The months 

 3878, shot in Cockfield ; it is now in my given above are from various sources. 

 Collection. This is rather a late date (see 



