of Passage iii the Neighbourhood of Carlisle. 113 



S7i(m Bimting.— Small flocks of Snow Buntings, I believe, 

 annually resort to the salt marshes below Rock Cliff. During 

 the remarkably fine mild weather in November and December 

 last, I saw them repeatedly there ; but as the major part are 

 usually young birds, they are seldom recognized. I have little 

 doubt they arrived much earlier than is stated in the above 

 table. 



Mountain Finch. — "Whether this bird ever breeds in the 

 hilly districts in this county I have not been able to ascertain ; 

 yet I think there cannot' be the least doubt that a few occa- 

 sionally remain during the summer. I observed one on 

 the 27th of April, near Nunery ; and the late ingenious Mr. 

 Bewick states that he has seen them on the Cumberland hills 

 in the month of August. 



Siskin. — The Siskin has hitherto been considered only as 

 an occasional and very irregular visitant in this country by, 

 I believe almost all writers on British ornithology. 1 have 

 however reason to think that if not a periodical visitant, it at 

 least visits some districts more frequently than is generally 

 supposed. During the last four or five years it has been regu- 

 larly observed in this neighbourhood, arriving in flocks vary- 

 ing in numbers from twenty to forty or more, and was seen 

 last autumn on the 26th of October feeding upon the larch, to 

 which tree it appears to be quite as partial as to either the 

 alder or the birch : they continued to frequent the same district 

 the whole winter, although annoyed and materially reduced in 

 numbers by bird-catchers and others. On the 26th of March 

 some males were observed in full song, and repeatedly chasing 

 the females; so that it is possible a few may occasionally re- 

 main and breed. A few were seen on the 5th of April. 



Green Sandpiper.— Th.\s pretty species has for some years 

 past regularly resorted to a marshy piece of ground conti- 

 guous to the village of Irthington, from which locality 1 have 

 received two specimens, and where they are occasionally seen 

 during the autumnal and winter months ; but always exceed- 

 ingly shy and difficult to approach. I am not aware that they 

 have been detected hi any other situation in this vicinity. 



Woodcoclc. — It is probable that the Woodcock seen on the 

 26di of August may have remained during the summer. One 

 was seen a ii^w years ago in July ; they however are i arely seen 

 ill lliis district before the middle or latter end of October. 



JVild Swan (Cygiius ferus). — Small flocks of wild Swans 

 are seen almost every winter in Solway Frith, and generally 

 one or two procured. On the 20lli of February two were killed 

 out of a flock of five in Hrugh Marsh. 



lircnt Goose (Aiiscr Hiviila). — \ rather singular specimen 

 N. S. Vol. 6. No. J2. ////''. 1829. Q of 



