26 GROSSBEAKS CROSSBILLS. 



Three grossbeaks (loxia coccothraustes) appeared, some 

 years ago, in my fields, in the winter ; one of which I shot. 

 Since that, now and then one is occasionally seen in the same 

 dead season.* 



A crossbill (loxia curvirostra) was killed last year in this 

 neighbourhood, f 



Our streams, which are small, and rise only at the end of 

 the village, yield nothing but the bull's-head, or miller' s-thumb, 

 (gobius fluviatilis capitatus^) the trout, (trutta fluvia tills?) the 

 eel, (anguilla,) the lampern, (lampcstra parva et Jlumatilis^) 

 and the stickleback, (pisciculus aculeatus.^) 



* This is the hawfinch of British naturalists ; the fringilla cocco- 

 thraustes of Temminck ; and is only an occasional autumnal visitant, 

 continuing with us till the month of April. It seldom visits the northern 

 counties. There is, however, one instance recorded by Mr T. F. Loudon, 

 in the first volume of the Magazine of Natural History, p. 374. He 

 says, " On the 14th May, 1828, the nest of a hawfinch was taken in 

 an orchard belonging to Mr Waring, at Chelsfield, Kent. The old female 

 was shot on the nest, which was of a slovenly, loose form, and shallow, 

 not being so deep as those of the greenfinch or linnet, and was placed 

 against the large bough of an apple tree, about ten feet from the ground. 

 It was composed externally of dead twigs and a few roots, mixed with 

 coarse white moss, or lichen, and lined with horse hair and a little fine, 

 dried grass. The eggs were five in number, about the size of a skylark's, 

 but shorter and rounder, and spotted with bluish ash and olive brown, 

 some of the spots inclining to dusky, or blackish brown. The markings 

 were variously distributed on the different eggs." It is a native of Italy, 

 Germany, Sweden, and South of France ED. 



f* The crossbill is only an occasional visitant in Britain, and generally 

 appear in large flocks. Mr Selby mentions that, in June, 1821, a vast 

 number visited Britain, and spread themselves through the country in 

 all places where fir trees were abundant, the cones of which being their 

 principal food. These consisted chiefly of females. A pretty large flock 

 made its appearance in the neighbourhood of Ambleside, Westmoreland, 

 in November, 1828. Their favourite haunt was a plantation of young 

 larches. The crossbill is a native of Northern Europe ED. 



| There are five species of sticklebacks inhabiting the British streams, 

 three of which were discovered by Mr Yarrel. In the Magazine of 

 Natural History, we have a curious account of the pugnacious propen- 

 sities of these little animals. " Having, at various times," says a corre- 

 spondent, " kept these little fish during the spring, and part of the summer 

 months, and paid close attention to their habits, I am enabled, from my 

 own experience, to vouch for the facts I am about to relate. I have 

 generally kept them in a deal tub, about three feet two inches wide, and 

 about two feet deep. When they are put in, for some time, probably a 

 day or two, they swim about in a shoal, apparently exploring their new 

 habitation. Suddenly one will take possession of the tub, or, as it will 

 sometimes happen, the bottom, and will instantly commence an attack 

 upon his companions ; and, if any of them venture to oppose his sway, a 

 regular and most furious battle ensues. They swim round and round, 



