Some recent changes in habits and food of British Birds. 989 



animal life as well as seeds. It docs not increase very heavily in 

 this cold climate. Does so in the mild parts. 



Tlie European Crossbill Loxia euro])aea continues as an 

 irregular bird. And finds a place on our protection list. As does 

 the Hooded Bullfinch Pyrrhula pileata. I recollect when they 

 made their appearance here. They seem to have fallen oiï during 

 recent years — rather. 



IX. Reptatrices. — Brown Tree-creeper Certha familiaris 

 seems also more or less on the decrease. Being our only represen- 

 tative of this order. 



X. Scandrices. — Pied Woodpecker Picus pipra from decrea- 

 sing and becoming extinct in various places has again increased 

 and is rapidly spreading its nesting grounds. 



XL Gemitrices. — The Ringed Dove, or Cushat Coluniha 

 'palumhus seems to continue to keep its numbers, although a 

 continual persecution is given it. While it doubtless eats up 

 certain seeds of weeds, it causes much damage by eating up those 

 of farm plants and in eating up young agricultural plants as well 

 as grain in course of development. Turnips and so on. While 

 they come from great distances and stock up woods again where 

 the previous stock had been destroyed. Appearing at all hours on 

 fields they do so much damage which is popularly attributed to 

 Rooks. We cannot say of them what we saw in 1909 of the Rooks 

 when we ploughed a small piece during harvest that they 

 frequented the ploughed ground in their numbers leaving the grain 

 alone. We think the pigeon has become more mischievous to 

 cultivated crops of recent years. 



XII. Ratrices. — The Colchian Pheasant PJiasianus colchicus 

 from having naturalised itself. Has now been artificially reared 

 a good deal and various strains have a chance of mixing with each 

 other. We do not think that this has improved the vigour of this 

 bird as a wild bird. But rather the opposite. Some assume that 

 it leads more to polygamy among them. 



While the artificial feeding required leads to a taste for farm 

 crops. Such as grain, and we have seen, in very severe weather, 

 they eat leaves and bulbs of turnips. 



Grey Partridge Perdix cinerea has of late years extended in 

 numbers and in vigour as well as pairing much earlier if not 

 nesting. Also spreading further into woods and on to moors. 

 Eating more readily of turnip leaves and such like during snow- 

 storm. Probably, also migrating further from place to place in 

 the autumn. As some interest has been created in this of late here, 

 we believe all this has been brought about by some artificial 

 rearing being done at various points. The effect, seemingly, being 

 rather the opposite of Pheasants. Wood-Grouse or Capercailzie 

 Tetrao urogallus from being an old inhabitant, this bird came to 

 be all but extinct if not so. In 1769 the last individual killed was 



