134 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



especially the Lesser Redpoll, in his traps when taking Gold- 

 finches, and that he can sell the latter, but not the former. I 

 imagine, however, that the Linnet is mistaken by him for the 

 Mealy Redpoll. The Lesser Redpoll makes a lively little pet, 

 but its rich markings soon vanish in confinement. 



Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus. — Resident with us, but in 

 no great numbers. 



House Sparrow, Passer domcsticus. — Very common, very 

 noisy, and very impudent, as everywhere else. I think also 

 increasing during the past few years. 



Greenfinch, Coccothraustes chloris. — Common throughout the 

 county. 



Hawfinch, Coccothraustes vulgaris. — Very rare indeed ; in fact 

 I may almost say unknown here. I have never seen one. Mr. 

 Roche, of Tregunter, our late high sheriff, tells me that some 

 twenty years ago a large flock of these birds established them- 

 selves in the large trees near his house, and that they stayed 

 there nearly the whole winter, which, if I recollect right, was a 

 severe one. He well remembers catching numbers of them in 

 traps and keeping them in cages, but he has not observed any 

 since that time. 



Bullfinch, Pyrrhala vulgaris. — Very common. I sometimes 

 see it in the garden, but not often, for it is, I think, a wood- 

 loving bird. 



Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra. — Very rare here now. In the 

 winter of, I believe, 1866,. they were very abundant all over the 

 county. Some tall larch trees in my garden at Vennyvach were 

 literally covered with them one morning. Not knowing their 

 note I killed several, but after that I did not disturb them. One 

 of the birds killed was a cock in splendid plumage of a bright 

 red ; another a cock of a bright yellow ; whilst the rest were hens 

 of a dull olive-green. They stayed with us for some time, but 

 all left about January, except one hen that stayed about the place 

 until April, when I missed her ; she frequented one larch tree in 

 particular, and was so tame that she would take no notice of any 

 one's approach. I have often watched her within a few feet, and 

 her mode of feeding on the seeds of the fir-cone, and indeed her 

 actions generally, invariably reminded me of those of a parrot. I 

 felt quite sorry when she left us to return no more. I think if 

 she had had a mate she would have nested here. In the same 



