BRAMBLING, 
FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA, Linn. 
Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. S. N. i. p. 318 (1766) ; Naum. 
v. p. 44; Macg.i. p. 335; Hewitson, i. p. 194; Yarr. 
ed, 4, ii. p. 75; Dresser, iv. p. 15. 
Pinson d’ Ardennes, French; Berg-Finke, German; Mon- 
taftes, Millero, Spanish. 
The Brambling is an autumnal migrant to the 
British Islands, and from about the end of October till 
March is to be met with, occasionally in vast numbers, 
in most parts of Scotland and England; in Iveland its 
visits are said to be very irregular, although large 
flocks have been occasionally met with in that country. 
Mr. H. Saunders (‘ Manual,’ p. 177) informs us that a 
nest of this species was discovered by Mr. E. 'T. Booth 
in Perthshire in June 1866, but with this exception I 
am not aware of any other recorded instance of its 
breeding in the United Kingdom. My principal ac- 
quaintance with this beautiful bird has been formed 
in Northamptonshire amongst the old beeches in our 
own shrubberies and pleasure-grounds. Beech-mast is 
certainly the favourite food of the present species, and in 
