LOCAL OBSERVATION 17 



a " gurt ork " * (not a great auk) recently seen at about 

 the same distance in another direction." l 



11 September 6th, 1892, 



"These summer excursions and incursions of crossbills 

 are very remarkable and unaccountable. The crossbill 

 (curvirostra) is an exceedingly rare bird in this county, 

 but the way in which hawfinches have colonised our 

 neighbourhood is a caution and warning to gardeners. 

 We always had, and I am glad to say, still have, great 

 numbers of goldfinches in this district, where agriculture 

 has never advanced since the Restoration." 2 



" October toM, 1893. 



" Your mention of the abundance of hawfinches at 

 Rope Hill is to me very remarkable, as, although last year 

 we had at least ten or a dozen nests about our lawn and 

 pleasure grounds, this year we could not discover one, and 

 the birds were, comparatively, very scarce at pea-time. 



" With the exception of redwings, which arrived about 

 a fortnight earlier than usual, all our migrants are late ; 

 but a great tide has set in during the last few days, 

 and our beech trees are full of travelling woodpigeons, 

 chaffinches, and some bramblings, whilst flock after flock 

 of pipits, linnets, skylarks, starlings and peewits are 

 passing to the S.W. up our valley." 3 



1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 

 8 To the same. 

 8 To the same. 

 * Great hawk. 



