FKIXGILLID.E. 67 



Salicornia (J. G., Zool. 1873, p. 34G6). Flocks also appear iu spriug on 

 the sea-coast at Exmouth for a few days. On April 12th, 1890, we saw 

 a large flock of very dark- coloured Linnets feeding on the golf-links there, 

 though there were none to be seen on the previous daj-. At the same time 

 the resident birds had nests and egg^. 



In South Devon the male rarely develojis much red on the breast, and 

 we have never seen any in the rich livery it puts on in the East of 

 England in the breeding-season. Mr. E, P. JSTicholls observes that speci- 

 mens obtained on the sea-coast are much brighter than inland ones. 

 Mr. Comyns had a variety with the head white (E. M., Trans. Plym, Inst. 

 1830, p. 312). Bellamy mentions having seen a specimen with a white 

 ring round the neck (Xat. Hist. S. Devon, p. 204). A pure white speci- 

 men was caught in October 1881, and another was shot near Plvmouth in 

 1883 (J. G., Zool. 1882, p. (iQ, 1884, p. 55). Mr. Henry Nicholls shot 

 one in the spring of 1845 (or 184G) which was pure white, except the 

 breast, which was of a lovely rose-colour (E. A. S. E., MS. Xotes). 



Mealy KedpoU. Linota Unaria (Linn.). 



A casual visitor of extremely rare occurrence. 



The only known instances are not so satisfactorily authenticated as 

 could be desired. Dr. Edward Moore says " Linota canescens, rare, one in 

 Pincombe's collection" ("Passerine Birds of Devonshiie," in Mag. Xat. 

 Hist. 1837, p. 176) ; and Bellamy, probably following Moore, simply says 

 " very rare." 



In their migrations the northern Linnets appear to follow the line of the 

 Eastern Counties, and but very rarely stray towards the Avest. This 

 remark applies to the Twite, and more especially to the Mealy Iledpoll, 

 of which wc only know of one Devonshire example, the one we purchased 

 at the sale of the late Mr. Cecil Smith's collection labelled " Xorth 

 Devon." Only one specimen seems to have been obtained in Cornwall, 

 that mentioned by Dr. Bullmorc in his ' Cornish Fauna ' as having been 

 shot by Mr. Copeland at Carrythenick. This was a male "in full bridal 

 dress." We have ourselves never seen this species either in Devon or 

 Somerset. The two Mealy Redpolls said to have occurred near Plymouth 

 were regarded by Mr. J. Gatcombe as doubtful. It is possible that hoary 

 examples of the Lesser Iledpoll have been mistaken for the rarer northern 

 species in tiiesc two instances. 



Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieill.). 



A winter visitor, of irregular a))pearanco, principally to Eastern Devon. 



This ])rctty little Finch, a great favourite as a cage j)et, is peculiarly a 

 British bird, as it seems to be confined in the breeding-season in its distri- 

 bution to the British Islands, and is unknown in the nortiiern jiai^s of 

 Europe. Jiiit it belongs to our north-country birds, and nests but 

 sparingly in the southern counties, where it is chiefly known as a winter 



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