The Birds of Skye. 123 



south of Skye, Mr Macdonalcl, Tormore, informs me that a 

 pair of Goldfinches nested in his garden in Sleat a few years 

 since. 



Ligurinus chloris. — Winter visitant ; and the flocks, which 

 gather round farm buildings, linger into April, but I have 

 no evidence at present of its nesting with us. 



Passer domesticus. — A common resident, breeding at Gres- 

 hornish, Dunvegan, Waternish, and no doubt generally dis- 

 tributed; to Hamar it was a regular winter visitant, but 

 remained to breed with us numerously in 1886. 



Fringilla ccelehs. — A numerous resident, though most 

 abundant in winter, when large flocks of both sexes appear. 

 When trees are scarce the Chaffinch builds near the ground, 

 e.g. (last July), a nest built into a low bush, and almost on 

 the ground, at the edge of a low cliff above Skinidin. A 

 male at Hamar constantly sang from a low grassy knoll, 

 though his nest (like those of two other pairs) was built in 

 the fir plantation behind the house. He never sang on a 

 gate or dyke, but always on terra firma. 



Linota cannabina. — Resident, but probably scarce ; at all 

 events I have not found any reference to it in my notes, 

 though Mr Lees reports its presence in the Broadford district. 



Linota rufescens. — Summer visitant, I imagine ; at least I 

 have only seen it in summer. In July 1884 I watched a 

 pair feeding their young at Greshornish. In July 1886 I 

 saw a family party near Dunvegan. 



Linota flavirostris. — Eesident, gathering into flocks of from 

 a dozen to more than a hundred birds in autumn, and 

 flocking late into spring. In 1883 I saw a flock of between 

 twenty and thirty feeding on some rough ground on May 20th. 



Fyrrhnla europcm. — Eesident (?). The only example I 

 have seen was a fine male at Greshornish, April 1885, but it 

 is said that the Bullfinch breeds generally in Sleat. [The 

 Bullfinch occurs through the wooded parts of the south-east 

 of Skye or Sleat, though Seebohm appears to doubt its 

 occurrence at all in the Hebrides. — J. A. H. B,] 



Emberiza miliaria. — A numerous resident, droning its 



Note. — Passer montanus. — In July 1886 I narrowly examined this species 

 at Uig, close to the post-office. It is doubtless resident. 



