THE BRAMBLING. 95 



move about the country, but there is little evidence that they 

 emigrate. Large flocks arrive from the Continent on east coast 

 Great Britain, third week Sept. to mid-Nov., occasionally from 

 first week Sept. Many continue westward and spread inland, 

 while some perhaps pass south, as emigratory or passage move- 

 ments are noted south coast third week Oct. to mid-Nov., extremes 

 Oct. 4 to Nov. 25. Return movements occur south coast third 

 week March to early April, and on east coast third week March 

 to mid-May, extremes March 8 to May 17. Passage movements 

 noted west coast third week Sept. to second week Nov., mid-March 

 to early April. Winter passage movements on all three coasts 

 occasionally in Jan. and Feb. A diminution in Sept. and an 

 increase in Oct. and Nov. have been noticed in Ireland, 



Distribution. — Abroad. — ^Europe generally, western parts of Asia. 

 In winter in north Africa. Replaced by supposed closely-aUied 

 forms in Corsica and Balearic Isles, and by very different races 

 (generally looked upon as " good species ") in north-west Africa, 

 Canaries, Madeira, and Azores. 



FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA 



38. Fringilla montifringilla L.— THE BRAMBLING. 



Fkingilla Montifringilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 179 

 (1758— " Habitat in Europa." Restricted typicallocality : Sweden). 

 Fringilla montifringilla Linnaeus, Yarrell, 11, p. 75 ; Saunders, p. 185. 



Brambling {Fringilla montifringilla). 



Description. — Adult male. Winter. — ^Top and sides of head, 

 neck, and mantle glossy blue-black, partially obscured by buff 

 fringes ; patch of whitish-grey in middle of nape and sides of neck 

 greyer ; feathers of mantle with pale grey bases often showing 

 here and there ; scapulars chestnut-buff, A\'ith black bases ; middle 

 of back white and of rump buff, sides of back and rump black ; 

 upper tail-coverts black, \\ith long buff tips ; tliroat and breast 

 chestnut-buff (of varying intensity) ; flanks paler and spotted 

 black ; belly white ; under tail-coverts pale buff ; axillaries white 

 and bright lemon-yellow ; tail-feathers black, narrowly edged 

 yellowish, central pair mostly grey, tipped buff and edged yellowish, 



