76 FRINGILLTD^. 



middle of October, and it is often two months later before 

 the largest flocks arrive. Mr. E. Gray says that in the east 

 of Scotland on its first coming it betakes itself to the higher 

 grounds, but after a time, especially on the approach of 

 snow, it descends to the low-lying farms, where it becomes a 

 familiar tenant of the stack-yard. In England, however, it 

 rather frequents stubble-fields enclosed by thick hedges, 

 feeding on the grain and seeds to be found there. Mr. 

 Scales, formerly of Beechamwell, in Norfolk, told Sheppard 

 and Whitear that he considered it of service to the land, from 

 its devouring those of the knot-grass, Polygonum aviculare. 

 Later in the season, and particularly in severe weather, the 

 woodlands form its chief resort, and it congregates in large 

 numbers under old beeches, diligently searching for the 

 fallen mast of those trees, which during frost or snow seems 

 to furnish its main supply of food. Mr. Alston too, earlier 

 in the year, has known it to eat the kernels of nuts. At 

 times a few Bramblings will associate with the flocks of 

 Yellow Buntings and Chaffinches in the open fields and 

 stack-yards, but by far the greater number form larger or 

 smaller gatherings of their own, though these may occasion- 

 ally be joined by some Chaffinches, who seem to profit by 

 the greater strength and activity of their congeners in 

 clearing the ground and discovering the hidden food. As 

 above stated the flocks vary much in size in different years, 

 and perhaps a season or more will pass without a single bird 

 shewing itself in a locality where it had before been numer- 

 ous. Such irregularity is doubtless in some degree due to 

 the effects of climate in the mother-country of the species, 

 but it is also strongly influenced by the abundance or scarcity 

 of food in the several parts of these islands, and with us 

 there is hardly any season or place that produces a plentiful 

 crop of beech-mast in which Bramblings will not make their 

 appearance in corresponding numbers though as regards 

 England it must be remembered that they seem to be 

 always comparatively rare in the midland and still more so 

 in the western counties. Occasionally the flocks will con- 

 sist entirely or chiefly of cock-birds, but on the other hand 



