A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES 



1. White's Thrush. Turdus varius, Pallas. 

 A specimen, the eighth recorded in Britain, 



was taken 31 January, 1872, in Castle Eden 

 Dene, having been shot and wounded a fort- 

 night before, by Mr. Rowland Burdon. It 

 lived three weeks after its capture. Mr. Bur- 

 don gave it to me. On examination the 

 furculum was found to have been long since 

 fractured, but to have coalesced, though very 

 clumsily. 



2. Missel-Thrush. Turdus viscivorus, Linn. 

 Resident, but not numerous, in suitable 



localities. Had largely increased within the 

 last sixty years, but has latterly diminished, 

 probably from the increase of human popu- 

 lation. 



3. Song-Thrush. Turdus musicus, Linn. 

 Abundant except in winter, when most 



migrate. A few remain, even in the severest 

 seasons, but they will not venture to come to 

 the window sills for food until several days 

 after the blackbirds have set them the example. 

 I have observed that in a hard frost while 

 numbers of redwings perish, the song-thrush 

 survives. 



4. Redwing. Turdus iliacus, Linn. 



A regular winter visitor. In mild seasons 

 it generally disappears till the beginning of 

 spring, while in severe winters many remain 

 only to succumb to a long frost. 



5. Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, Linn. 



A winter migrant, arriving generally in large 

 flocks about the end of October. If there be 

 a continuance of severe frost they disappear 

 as soon as they have stripped the rowan and 

 holly berries, halting again for a few days on 

 their return north in spring. 



6. Blackbird. Turdus meruk, Linn. 



Very abundant. Remains through the 

 severest weather. 



7. Ring-Ousel. Turdus torquatus, Linn. 



A regular summer resident, arriving in April 

 and rcmaiiu'ng till October in the moorlands 

 of the west of the county. It is by no means 

 gregarious during its stay. 



8. Wheatear. Saxicola xnanthe (Linn.). 

 Abundant in the 'wild west ' of the covmty ; 



a few in other parts arrive at the beginning of 

 April. It affects the dry stone dykes of Wear- 

 dale and Teesdale, where it nests. 



9. Whinchat. Pratincola ruhetra (T/irin.). 



Locally, H.iychat. 

 A summer resident, not uncommon even 



in populous districts. Arrives towards the end 

 of April and leaves in October. 



10. Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.). 

 A resident in small numbers and generally 



distributed, especially about fox coverts. It 

 builds almost always in whin (furze) bushes, 

 and should really be called whincliat, rather 

 than its congener. 



11. Redstart. Ruticilla phtenicurus (Linn.). 

 A regular spring and summer resident, 



arriving about the middle of April, but by no 

 means numerous. A few years ago, a pair 

 bred in an ivy-clad tree close to a public walk 

 in the 'Banks' in the city of Durham. 



12. Black Redstart. Ruticilla titys {ScopoVi). 



A rare occasional visitor. But while in the 

 south of England it is looked upon rather as 

 a winter visitor, here it has only been noticed 

 from spring to autumn. In the year 1845 a 

 pair built their nest on a cherry tree trained 

 on a wall in the garden of the Rev. Dr. Raine, 

 at Crook Hall, in the suburbs of Durham city. 

 I regret to say the birds were shot. The 

 male is in Durliam Museum ; the nest and an 

 egg were given to the late John Hancock, 



13. Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica 



(Linn.). 

 One obtained by H. G. Stobart, Esq., at 

 Wolsingham, 26 September, 1893. Another 

 at Chester-le-Street about the same date, and 

 anotlier two or three years ago. 



14. Redbreast, or Robin. Erithacus rubecula 



(Linn.). 

 Universal. 



15. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea. (Bechstein). 

 An abundant summer visitor everywhere. 



16. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca(L\nn.). 



A summer visitor, breeding in several parts 

 of the county, but extremely scarce and local. 

 Mr. Hancock mentions a nest taken close to 

 Ncwc.istle but in the county of Durham. 



17. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla [l^wn.). 

 Very common from early spring to late 



autumn. Occasionally met with as late as 

 December. 



1 8. Gardcn-Warbicr. Sylvia hortensis (Bech- 



stein). 

 Not so common as tiic last, arriving later. 



19. Goldcrcst. Rcguluscristatus,K..lj.Vioc\-\. 

 A resident, and abundant in all our fir 



plantations. Its numbers arc largely rein- 

 forced towards the end of autumn. 



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