THE CIRL BUNTING IN GREAT BRITAIN. 123 



In Wales there is a flourishing colony in Denbigh, and it 

 breeds in Brecon, Glamorgan, and Cardigan. To Pembroke it is 

 only a casual visitor, and it has once been obtained in Merioneth- 

 shire ; elsewhere it is at present unknown, or unrecorded, but it 

 is apparently pushing its way, and enlarging its range, in the 

 principality. 



To Scotland it is merely an accidental visitor, and it is 

 unknown in Ireland. 



Yorkshire. — Described in the ' Vertebrate Fauna of York- 

 shire' (p. 32) as a " casual visitant of rare occurrence." Mr. Eagle 

 Clarke writes me word that " It has several times been recorded 

 for Toredale and Bedale" (in Hit.). Of the seven instances re- 

 corded in the ' Vertebrate Fauna,' five were in January, February, 

 and December. In ' The Naturalist ' (1890, p. 148), Mr. John 

 Ward, of Lofthouse, records finding a nest with three eggs at 

 Lofthouse on May 31st, 1882, and another near Flushdyke, 

 Ossett, with four eggs, on May 6th, 1889. At p. 320, in reply 

 to an editorial note, he wrote that both pairs of birds were care- 

 fully observed through the field-glass, and he hints that one of 

 the males was procured. For occurrence in winter in Sherwood 

 Forest, near Doncaster, see 'Naturalist,' vol. ii. p. 164 ; and near 

 Bedale and Richmond, 'Zoologist,' p. 3056. In 'The Field' of 

 Oct. 1st, 1887, as I am informed by Mr. T. H. Nelson, Mr. J. 

 Carter, of Masham, states ,that a young bird shot there may have 

 been one of several turned out by his son. Mr. Basil Carter wrote 

 Mr. Eagle Clarke (Aug. 4th, 1891) that he was sending him what 

 he took to be a young bird and nest of this species. He took it 

 the day before in a small plantation at Masham House. In a 

 subsequent letter he mentioned those liberated there, and said 

 he always thought they bred there, and were increasing yearly. 

 Mr. Eagle Clarke tells me he has carefully examined the young 

 bird, and is satisfied that it was of this species (in litt.). One 

 was shot at Fen Bog, near Whitby, a female, on Feb. 28th, 1882, 

 and is now in Whitby Museum. Two others were seen at the 

 same time and place (Stephenson), vide Messrs. Clarke & Roebuck 

 (Zool. 1884, p. 175). 



Lancashire. — "At Urmston," Mr. C. E. Reade states that 

 " fifteen or twenty years ago the Cirl Bunting was occasionally 

 found in winter with the flocks of Yellowhammers and Finches, 

 but since that time it has not been observed. Mr.C. S. Gregson 



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