THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 133 



Common Bunting, Emberiza miliaria. — Fairly plentiful 

 throughout the county. 



Reed Bunting, Emberiza schceniclus. — Common, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of Llangorse Lake, and on the banks of 

 the canal. 



Yellow Bunting, Emberiza citrinella. — Very common. The 

 late Mr. Marsh, Rector of Sutton Benger, near Chippenham, — 

 whose lectures on British Birds are always remembered with 

 pleasure by those that had the privilege, as I often had, of hearing 

 them, — used to say that the Yellow Bunting, if properly roasted 

 between two vine leaves, was equal to, and not easily to be dis- 

 tinguished from, the celebrated Ortolan, E. hortulana, so eagerly 

 sought after by gourmets on the Continent. 



Chaffinch, Fringilla ccelebs. — May with truth be said to 

 be the commonest bird we have, and the boldest. A curious 

 variety of a uniform delicate fawn-colour, which I have had the 

 pleasure of inspecting, was killed at Velinnewydd by Mr. Williams- 

 Vaughan, jun., of that place. 



Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla. — Rare. I only know 

 with certainty of a single instance of its occurrence, and that was 

 at Cynghordy, near Llanwrtyd, on the borders of the county. 



Goldfinch, Fringilla carduelis. — Very general all over the 

 county. We are fortunately not much troubled with professional 

 birdcatchers, with their call-birds and nets, but only by a few 

 amateurs, so that I think this may in some way account for their 

 numbers. I often see them both in large and small flocks, and 

 a pair or so nest in my garden in Brecon nearly every year. 



Siskin, Fringilla spinus. — This bird I see occasionally during 

 the winter, and generally moving in small flocks. 



Linnet, Linota cannabina. — Common enough, but I think 

 not so much so, or in such large flocks, as in England. 



Twite, Linota flavirostris. — Fairly distributed in the winter 

 throughout the county. 



Mealy Redpoll, Linota linaria. — I am not able to say with 

 certainty that we have this bird with us. I have not observed it ; 

 still it is so very liable to be confounded with the Common 

 Linnet that it is very probable it occurs occasionally. 



Lesser Redpoll, Linota rufescens. — Not common, but still 

 occurring in fair numbers. A station-master on one of our 

 principal Welsh lines tells me that he catches both the Redpolls, 



