BIRDS OF SOUTH-EAST NORTHUMBERLAND. 307 



years they used to breed in the sand-banks north of St. Mary's 

 Island. The average date of arrival is April 1st. 



Greenfinch (Ligurinus chloris). — A common resident; fre- 

 quenting the several denes chiefly. 



Goldfinch {Carduelis elegans). — It has occurred at Holy- 

 well in winter among flocks of other Finches, but only very 

 rarely. 



House- Sparrow {Passer domesticus) . — A very common resi- 

 dent. A pair nested in the signal-bell box at Cullercoats Station 

 in 1906, despite the continual noise of the bell. Mr. J. Wright 

 informs me that an entirely white specimen with hazel eyes was 

 procured at Whitley Station in 1900. An occurrence which 

 took place in our garden at Cullercoats will show how the 

 common bond of species is more pronounced in this bird than in 

 any other of the smaller kinds on the approach of an enemy. A 

 party of five young Sparrows had come out of their nest, and in 

 company with their parents were hopping somewhat gingerly 

 along the garden-wall. Suddenly, however, one of them perhaps 

 intoxicated by the unusual sights around him, lost his balance 

 and toppled over into the road. I moved up to it, and having 

 caught it, was about to replace it on the wall, when I suddenly 

 found myself surrounded by chattering Sparrows. The mother 

 had uttered a sort of hard squealing note of rage, and immedi- 

 ately all her neighbours in the district had assembled to aid her 

 in protecting her young. She herself buffeted me in the face 

 with her wings, and the rest flew chattering round my legs and 

 head. They must have numbered at least fifty or more, and 

 my friend Mr. A. King, who saw it, said that it was as if I had 

 a swarm of bees buzzing round my head. Many of them 

 actually pecked at me on feet and hands, and it was only after 

 replacing the young bird on the wall that they disappeared as 

 suddenly as they had come. 



Tree-Sparrow (P. montanus). — Seldom seen except in autumn 

 when numbers sometimes arrive from the Continent, but pass 

 inland almost immediately. J. Hancock mentions that he has 

 found it nesting at Whitley, never in trees, but in holes and 

 coping-stones of old garden walls. But things have changed 

 since then, and there are no such things as old garden walls. I 

 have, however, observed a pair or two in recent years among the 



