A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



it in 1870, when I saw some feeding on the 

 peas in the garden at Ramsdale, and two or 

 three were shot ; the man who preserved 

 them said they were the first he had had. 

 This bird nests in apple, oak and thorn trees 

 in preference to others, and is very shy and 

 retiring. I have a beautiful specimen showing 

 a great deal of white on its head, back and 

 breast, which was shot in 1894 at Berry Hill 

 near Mansfield. 



57. Goldfinch. Carduelis e/egans, Stephens. 



I am sorry to say this beautiful finch is now 

 rare ; high farming and clap-nets have told 

 their tale. It still breeds in suitable places, and 

 a few are seen in the autumn ; it has nested 

 in my kitchen garden. 



58. Siskin. Carduelis spintu (Linn.) 



This pretty little bird comes to us in 

 autumn and leaves early in the spring. It is 

 very fond of feeding on the seeds of the 

 alder and birch. Some winters hardly one is 

 seen at Rainworth, and again in others there 

 are a good many. 



59. House Sparrow. Passer domesticus (Linn.) 



An abundant resident. I have many 

 varieties shot in different parts of the county. 



60. Tree Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.) 

 Local but fairly plentiful, especially in 



north Notts. There are a good many at 

 Rainworth, and I have several pairs breeding 

 in artificial nesting boxes fastened on the 

 trees in the plantations. This bird has quite 

 a little song, but I have only heard it rarely. 



61. Chaffinch. Fnngilla cceltbs, Linn. 



A very conspicuous bird and found in 

 numbers over the whole county ; large flocks 

 frequent the stubbles with other birds in the 

 autumn. It is one of the earliest to sing in 

 the new year. I have some very pretty and 

 striking varieties which have been shot in 

 Notts ; they are cream-coloured and pied, and 

 one with the usual white parts brick red. 



62. Brambling. Fringilla montifringil/a, Linn. 

 Some winters this species is seen in large 



flocks on the stubbles, and again in others 

 only in small numbers ; occasionally it stays 

 late. One was shot near Southwell in full 

 breeding plumage; on 17 April 1884 I 

 heard birds twittering on some high fir trees 

 in a wood at Rainworth, and as the notes 

 were new to me I shot a bird and found it 

 to be one of this species in full breeding 

 plumage. Saw one here II April 1903. 



63. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.) 



A common resident. A white variety was 



shot near Southwell in 1870 and is now in 

 my collection, also a grey-coloured one. 



64. Mealy Redpoll. Linota I'maria (Linn.) 

 A rare winter visitor. I know of only one 



specimen being obtained, and that was caught 

 on Mapperley Hills near Nottingham on 12 

 January 1848, and was taken alive to the 

 late Mr. Percy of Beeston, who identified it. 



65. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieillot) 

 Resident in Notts and breeds here and 



there. It is most numerous in winter, when 

 it is found in flocks in company with siskins 

 frequenting alder and birch trees. I have 

 two pure white varieties in my collection shot 

 near Southwell in 1870. There are always 

 several nests about Rainworth every year. 



66. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.) 

 Very local and far from common. I have 



a pair shot on Mansfield Forest where a few 

 can often be seen. It has nested once or 

 twice in this part of the county. 



67. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europtsa, Vieillot. 

 Found thinly distributed over the county. 



A good many are taken by bird-catchers in 

 the autumn. A beautiful pale grey bird was 

 shot near Nottingham in 1869. 



68. Pine Grosbeak. Pyrrhula enucleator (Linn.) 

 A beautiful male in rosy plumage was shot 



by Dr. Dixon on 30 October 1890 when he 

 was partridge driving at Watnall. The bird 

 came and settled by the side of a small pond 

 to drink, and on seeing him flew up into a 

 tree where he shot it ; it is now in the col- 

 lection of Mr. Chaworth Musters of Annes- 

 ley Park. 



69. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. 

 This bird is seen now and again in small 



flocks, and has nested in the county on more 

 than one occasion. Daws of Mansfield once 

 saw old and young ones in Harlow Wood, and 

 in July 1870 I saw a female come down to 

 the side of the pond at Ramsdale to drink. 



70. Parrot Crossbill. 

 Bechstein. 



Loxia pityopsittacus, 



A small party of these rare stragglers from 

 northern Europe visited a clump of Scotch 

 firs at Edwinstowe in the winter of 1849, and 

 seven were shot by Mr. Wells on 4 March of 

 that year. 



71. American White- winged Crossbill. Loxia 



leucoptera, J. F. Gmelin. 

 About the end of March 1 849 Mr. Wells 

 shot four of these birds in some fir trees near 

 Edwinstowe. 



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