BIRDS 
in a pear tree belonging to Mr. Halliday for 
more than fifty years ; during this long period 
there was always a nest within a few inches 
of the same place (Carlisle Patriot, May 15th, 
1840). 
59. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.). 
A winter visitant in uncertain numbers, 
rarely appearing in any considerable plenty 
even in the north of the county, and of com- 
paratively rare occurrence among our hills. 
A male preserved in the Keswick Museum 
was captured by Mr. Hodgson, who assured 
me that it was the only specimen that he had 
ever met with in the Keswick district. One 
or two favourite localities near Carlisle are 
visited by siskins every winter; they are 
often caught near Drumburgh. Mr. Plender- 
leath assured me that a few pairs of siskins 
undoubtedly bred in the vicinity of Longtown 
between 1879 and February, 1885. 
60. House-Sparrow. Passer domesticus (Linn.). 
Locally, Housie, Spuckie, Sprug, Craff. 
An ever-increasing resident, in many dis- 
tricts a pest to the farmer. Black, buff, white 
and pied birds occur in a state of freedom. 
This species occasionally interbreeds with the 
rarer tree-sparrow. 
61. Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.). 
A resident species, but excessively local. 
I have never met with it in the Lake district 
proper. It has certainly bred in two instances 
in East Cumberland, but its breeding stations 
are very few, extending from Allonby to 
Abbey and the neighbourhood of Skinburness. 
62. Chaffinch. Fringilla celebs, Linn. 
Locally, Scoppie, Scobbie, Shelapple, Shiltie, 
Spink, Shivvie. 
A resident, but numbers visit us from other 
parts in winter. An interesting migration of 
chaffinches was witnessed at Allonby on 
November 4th, 1899. On turning out that 
morning shortly after 7 a.m., I found that 
migration was in full swing. Flock after 
flock of birds followed one another at frequent 
intervals, flying high and steering against the 
south-west breeze. The two species most 
abundantly represented were the chaffinch and 
the meadow-pipit. The flocks of these two 
species varied from eight to a hundred indivi- 
duals, or even more. A few chaffinches, 
females only so far as observed, dropped out 
of the main flocks at intervals, and were to be 
seen running on the ground or heard calling 
‘pink’ from the tops of the hedges. Many 
linnets and greenfinches passed, a few sky-larks, 
yellow hammers, thrushes, starlings, etc. ; but 
the chaffinches seemed to vastly outnumber 
all the other birds except the pipits, and thou- 
sands must have passed along the coast be- 
tween 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., when the move- 
ment practically ceased so far as my field of 
vision was concerned. 
63. Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. 
Locally, Cock-o’-the-North. 
A winter visitant, arriving as early as the 
first days of October, but rarely numerous 
earlier than November. Great numbers visited 
the neighbourhood of Carlisle in the winter 
1894-95, feeding principally on beech-mast. 
The harsh chirrup of this bird is usually asso- 
ciated with the first frosts that blanch the 
summer leaves and strip the boughs of foliage ; 
but I did not observe any bramblings in the 
autumn of 1899 until December 14th, when 
a number of these birds frequented a stackyard 
at Mealo. Desiring to place a few specimens 
in my aviary, I laid a small clap-net in the 
snow, and captured about a dozen specimens 
in the course of an hour. One of these was 
a very bright-coloured male with a black 
throat, a variety which I had only met with 
in this county on one other occasion. 
64. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.). 
Locally, Grey, Whin-Grey, Hemplin. 
A resident of less abundance than formerly, 
owing to the number of female birds killed by 
birdcatchers ; but some very large flocks fre- 
quent a gorse-clad bank near Maryport every 
year. A white specimen was often seen near 
Hayton in September, 1898, but apparently 
escaped capture. 
65. Mealy Redpoll. 
A rare winter visitant, though several have 
been caught in recent years near Maryport, 
and others have been identified in the east, 
north and west of the county. I obtained a 
fine series for the Carlisle Museum, but only 
one or two were local specimens. 
66. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieillot). 
Locally, French Grey, Banty Hemplin. 
This finch breeds sporadically in most parts 
of the county; I have personally observed it 
as a nesting bird near Stapleton, Brampton, 
Longtown, Bowness, Carlisle, Aspatria, 
Cockermouth, Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Pen- 
rith, and am able to vouch for its nesting 
occasionally in such upland localitiesas Alston 
and Renwick. Varieties of this redpoll are 
uncommon ; but I had the pleasure of adding 
to the Carlisle Museum a white example, shot 
near Cotehill in the winter 1898-99. The 
crimson feathers of the forehead are replaced 
Linota linaria (Linn.). 
187 
