A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



58. Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, 



Linn. 

 A fairly common summer visitor. 



59. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 

 An abundant summer visitor. 



60. House-Martin. CheKdon urb'ua (Linn.). 

 As the last-named. 



61. Sand-Martin. Cotile riparia (Linn.). 



A very common summer visitor wherever 

 sandy banks suited to its nesting requirements 

 exist. 



62. Greenfinch. Ligurinus Moris (Linn.). 

 Everywhere an abundant resident. 



63. Hawfinch. Coccothraustes vulgaris, Pallas. 

 A resident and fairly common, though not 



very often seen, owing to its shyness. It 

 breeds occasionally, I believe, in nearly all 

 parts of the county, and is certainly increas- 

 ing in numbers. Epping Forest has long 

 been known as a stronghold of the species. 



64. Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. 

 A resident, but local, uncommon, and cer- 

 tainly decreasing in numbers, owing to the 

 efforts of bird-catchers. 



65. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.). 



A regular winter visitor, occasionally in 

 some numbers, but generally uncommon. 



[Serin Finch. Serinus hortulanus, Koch. 



There is reason to believe (see Zoologist, 

 1889, p. 29) that this rare visitor to Britain 

 has been taken in the county, but no in- 

 dividual has been, as yet, identified satisfac- 

 torily.] 



66. House-Sparrow. Passer domesticus (Linn.). 

 Everywhere too abundant. 



67. Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.). 

 A resident, breeding sparingly in some 



parts of the county, especially the south- 

 western portion. In winter it is often 

 common, owing to arrivals from elsewhere. 



68. Chaffinch. Fringilla Calebs, Linn. 

 An abundant resident. 



69. Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. 

 A winter visitor, generally uncommon, 



but often fairly numerous during severe 

 weather. 



70. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.). 



An abundant resident, especially near the 



coast. 



71. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.). 

 An irregular and uncommon winter 



visitor. 



Linota rufescens (Vieil- 



72. Lesser Redpoll. 



lot). 



A common winter visitor, especially nu- 

 merous round the coast : less common, appar- 

 ently, than formerly. It breeds in the county 

 occasionally, though not, I believe, with any 

 regularity. 



73. Twite. Linota fla virostris (Linn.). 



A common winter visitor to our coast, 

 where it is often to be seen in company with 

 redpolls and linnets. 



74. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europaa, Vieillot. 



A fairly common resident, most often seen 

 in winter : certainly becoming more numer- 

 ous, especially among the uncultivated lands 

 in Dengie Hundred. 



75. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. 



An irregular and uncertain visitor, appear- 

 ing usually in late summer or winter : some- 

 times common. It has bred in the county 

 not very infrequently. 



76. Parrot Crossbill. 

 Bechstein. 



Loxia pityopsittacus, 



A rare visitor, though no fewer than nine 

 examples are recorded from our county a 

 pair at Saffron Walden about 1823 ; one in 

 Epping Forest in 1835 ; three at Lamborne 

 on September 21, 1861 ; and three at Col- 

 chester in 1862 (see Birds of Essex, p. 126). 

 In my opinion this is merely a sub-specific 

 form. 



77. Two-barred Crossbill. Loxia bifasciata 



(Brehm). 



A very rare straggler which has twice 

 occurred in the county at Epping in or 

 about 1846, and at Dedham in 1866 (see 

 Birds of Essex, p. 126). 



78. Corn-Bunting. Emberiza miliaria, Linn. 



A resident, but local, uncommon, and 

 certainly decreasing in numbers. 



79 



Yellow Hammer. Emberiza citrinella, 



Linn. 

 Everywhere an abundant resident. 



240 



