Birds. 9799 



and spring, when they flock, than they are in the summer, when they 

 are dispersed among the thick hedges. 



Lesser Redpole. — A more regular winter visitor than the siskin. I 

 got one this year for my collection as late as the 7th of March ; the 

 breast was beautifully pink. 



Bullfinch. — Rather common, especially in the orchards and gardens, 

 where the gardeners rave against it. Generally known as the 

 " hoot." 



Crossbill. — A very rare visitor, having only been seen in this 

 parish once, and that more than twenty years ago, on which 

 occasion they not only visited this particular parish, but were very 

 generally spread over the whole country. I have two in my collection, 

 both of which were shot by my father in a fir-plantation near the 

 house : they are both in their red plumage. 



Starling. — There are very great numbers of these birds here. 

 At times they collect in flocks of many hundreds, and at other 

 times they may be seen singly or in small flocks. Their flocking in 

 such large numbers is considered by the farmers to be a sign of rain; 

 certainly I myself have generally noticed the larger flocks either 

 during or immediately before wet weather. 



Crow. — Not very numerous, owing to the constant war made against 

 them by the gamekeepers. 



Rook. — Very numerous, as we have three large rookeries^ in the 

 parish, besides others at no great distance. I have little to add to what 

 I said of the food of these birds in the ' Zoologist' (Zool. 8885 and 

 9043), except that once, very shortly after my last note, namely, on the 

 27th of March, 1864, I observed some rooks feeding on the carcass of 

 a dead lamb in one of my fields, and during the dry weather this 

 spring they sucked all the eggs in the earlier nests of the wild 

 ducks. 



Jackdaw. — Tolerably common. 



Magpie. — Rather common, in spite of the gamekeepers. 



Jay. — This bird not only suffers from the gamekeeper, like the last, 

 but also from the ladies, who use the wings for feathers for their 

 hats, but in spite of this double war it is still tolerably common. 



Green Woodpecker. — Very common, especially in the older 

 orchards. 



Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. — Much more rare than ihe last. I have 

 only seen three or four here. 



Wryneck. — Also rare, though perhaps, owing to its not being 

 easily seen, it may be more common than is usually supposed. 



