A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND 
in this bird by golden yellow, and a very few 
of the wing feathers are brown; the bird is 
otherwise quite white. 
67. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.). 
Locally, Heather-Lintie. 
The twite is an uncertain winter visitant, 
appearing in considerable flocks in certain 
seasons, but often almost entirely absent from 
the county. Among the hills a few pairs 
nest sporadically ; in 1884 I saw a nest with 
a full clutch of eggs on Solway Moss; a pair 
or two nested on Toddles Moss for several years 
in succession. 
68. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europea, Vieillot. 
The call-note of the bullfinch may be heard 
upon the skirts of most of our plantations ; 
the plumage of the male adds attraction to the 
banks of Gilsland Spa and many other pic- 
turesque nooks. 
69. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. 
An irregular visitant to our larger tracts of 
pines, occasionally present in certain favourite 
localities in very large numbers, but at other 
times either absent or represented by a very 
small number of individuals. Great numbers 
of crossbills appeared in this county in August, 
1838, and still lingered with us in the autumn 
of 1839; other irruptions occurred in 1855, 
1887 and 1894. The best authenticated nest 
taken in the county was that which was built 
in a small clump of Scotch firs at Cumwhitton 
in March, 1856. The late James Fell often 
described to me how he watched the old birds 
gathering material for their nest, which he 
took on March 20th when four eggs had been 
laid. ‘The food of this species does not consist 
exclusively of the seeds of conifers. Some birds 
killed at Penrith in May, 1895, contained in- 
sects as well as fir-seeds. 
70. Parrot - Crossbill. 
Bechstein. 
A male and female of this rare visitant were 
shot in the vicinity of the Irthing by the late 
Mr. Proud of Headsnook. ‘This was between 
1847 and 1850. In December, 1865, the 
late James Barnes of Carlisle shot out of a 
larch tree at Newby Cross two birds which 
he supposed to be redwings. On picking 
them up he found that they were crossbills. 
He followed up the survivors, and secured six 
additional specimens. He preserved the birds, 
and sold five of them, retaining three un- 
doubted parrot-crossbills. 
Loxia pityopsittacus 
71. Two-barred Crossbill. 
(Brehm). 
The year 1845 witnessed a western move- 
ment of this species, for examples were ob- 
Loxia bifasciata 
tained near Stockholm, Gottenburg, and in 
Scania ; as also in Denmark and in Belgium. 
Some of these birds appear to have continued 
their flight across the North Sea, for a con- 
siderable flock made its appearance in East 
Cumberland. The first specimen was shot 
near Brampton by the late Thomas Taylor on 
November 1st, 1845. He observed two more 
of these finches on January roth, 1846; nine 
days later a fine red bird was shot by Mr. 
Proud, a local gamekeeper. Its companion 
which was in female dress made its escape. 
On March 25th, 1846, a party of two-barred 
crossbills flew into some larch trees at Castle- 
steads, and nine of them were shot by a 
gardener named Leslie. Five others lingered 
in the vicinity until April 11th. 
72. Corn-Bunting. LEmberiza miliaria, Linn, 
Locally, Grass-Bunting, Bunting Lark. 
I have met with a few individuals in most 
parts of the county from Alston to White- 
haven, but it disappears from many districts 
after a few years, and appears in other places 
without any apparent reason. It is a late 
breeder, sometimes flocking gregariously as 
late as the middle of May. It is never 
wholly absent from the farms along the 
shores of the Solway Firth. 
73. Yellow Hammer. LEmberiza citrinella, 
Linn. 
Locally, Spink, Yellow Yorling, Yellow Yitey. 
One of our commonest residents, nesting 
on common lands, and wintering in stackyards. 
Several pied specimens have come under notice, 
but I have not met with an albino. 
74. Reed-Bunting. Emberiza scheniclus, Linn. 
Locally, Black-Cap, Reed-Sparrow. 
A resident in most parts of the county, but 
erratic in its movements; often to be found 
feeding upon open grass lands in winter. The 
half-reclaimed rushy pasture which is to be 
found in the north-east of the county is es- 
pecially to the liking of this bird. 
75. Snow - Bunting.  Plectrophenax nivalis 
(Linn.). 
Locally, Snowflake, Snow-Bird, Fell-Sparrow, 
Cock-o’-the-North. 
A winter visitant, sparingly met with upon 
the slopes of the hills around our lakes, but 
common all along the eastern fells, especially 
in severe weather. Flocks of several hundred 
birds occasionally appear upon our coast and salt 
marshes, feeding upon grass seeds, and running 
to and fro on our village greens, sometimes 
venturing close to our thresholds. When dis- 
turbed these buntings seldom desert a favourite 
spot ; if startled, they only rise with the fami- 
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