182 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



on i6th May 1887 ; in its ovary were two eggs, one of which 

 had the shell partly formed and the yolk perfect (Ibis, 1888, 

 p. 228). Other varieties in plumage, albino, white, pied, 

 and cinnamon coloured, have been met with, and Tunstall 

 mentioned a light coloured specimen given to him " by the Hon. 

 Fred Vane of Sellaby, brother of Lord Darlington, taken in 

 this neighbourhood [Wy cliff e-on-Tees]. It had much white, 

 and some fine yellow feathers on the back and shoulders. 

 If it had not been taken in a wild state, should have almost 

 judged it to have been bred between a Chaffinch and a jonquil 

 Canary Bird." (Tunst. MS., p. 67.) 



Variations from the ordinary type of eggs, entirely of a 

 light blue colour, like those of the Pied Flycatcher, are not 

 uncommon ; and the late Canon Atkinson mentioned a clutch 

 of very pale buff, slightly tinged with vinous colour ("Moor- 

 land Parish," p. 342). 



Its local names are numerous. Those in general use are 

 Spink, White Linnet, Spinky, and Bullspink ; Pink is used 

 in the Nidd valley ; Bully or Bullie in the North Riding 

 and the Nidd valley ; Shilfa, Sheelfa, or Sheelie, Wet Bird, 

 and Scobby or Scobbie in the North Riding ; Weetie in central 

 Yorkshire to the coast ; Wintie in the East Riding ; Chaffy 

 in Cleveland ; and French Linnet and Fleck Linnet in southern 

 Holderness ; whilst Tunstall called it Flaxfinch. 



BRAMBLING. 



Fringilla montifringilla (Z.). 



Regular winter visitant, but varying in numbers. 



The earliest reliable notice of this species in Yorkshire is 

 contained in Atkinson's " Compendium of British Ornithology," 

 1820, p. 68, where it is stated to be " pretty common in 

 Yorkshire." 



